Fade In, Fade Out
by Higuchimon
Summary: [15/15 chapters, complete, Ken x Daisuke/Daisuke x Ken] Daisuke awakens to find himself at the feet of the Digimon Kaiser. Strange voices invade his mind, reality alters at a whim, and he wants to find his way home.
1. The Ostrich Method

_**Legal Disclaimer:** All characters within are the legal property of Toei Entertainment, or were inspired by such. This is done only for amusement.  
**Series Title:** Fade In, Fade Out  
**Chapter Title:** The Ostrich Method  
**Romance:** Ken/Daisuke  
**Rated:** T_

There was a hard floor beneath him. That was what he was aware of before anything else. He blinked slowly and raised his head, trying to figure out what was going on. Nothing around him was really that familiar. Scratch that, it wasn't familiar at all. It had the dark and slick feel of a nightmare, and the more he saw, the more he wanted it believe that's what it was. No _dream_ of his had ever involved being inside a dark chamber with a lot of screens hovering in front of him.

Being on his knees had also never been part of his usual nighttime fantasies, but he wasn't able to get up, no matter how hard he tried. _Where am I?_ That rang around in his head repeatedly. He didn't wonder who he was, since he was quite aware of that. How could he forget being Motomiya Daisuke, after all? Who else but he could be the leader of the second generation of Chosen Children, sworn enemy of the Digimon Kaiser, V-mon's partner, and bearer of the Digimentals of Courage and Friendship?

His eyes flicked from place to place, trying to get more of an idea of his situation. The floor stretched out beneath him was a cool sort of gray, with some designs on it that appeared to be there just to make it a little more interesting. They didn't seem to mean anything in particular, just whorls and loops and circles. As he turned his head to see the walls, they were much like the floor, the same color and with even more of the designs on them.

His skin prickled lightly in the chill, and he wondered just who would keep this place so cold. He shifted just a little in an attempt to get warmer, but nothing seemed to change. It was impossible for anyone human to enjoy this temperature, wasn't it? Daisuke shuddered softly, thinking of the warm blankets and fluffy pillows that he remembered folding himself into, with Chibimon's giggling and cuddly presence just a few inches away.

_Poor little guy. He's probably going crazy trying to figure out where I am. Just like me._ He fidgeted again, turning his head a little as he did so. Something tugged at his neck this time, and he frowned; this hadn't happened when he was trying to check out the walls.

He carefully reached up to see if he could figure out what it was, and his fingers closed on something cool, slender, and metallic. He tugged at it a little, but whatever it was, there wasn't any give to it whatsoever. He could just manage to fit one finger in between the metal and his neck, but try as he might, he couldn't find anything that would be a latch or a fastener of any kind. It was as if it had grown there.

Then he knew what it was. He'd seen something similar on uncounted Digimon. It probably wasn't identical; it didn't quite feel like they looked, if that made sense. But it certainly was _like_ them.

It was a collar. Like the Evil Rings or Spirals that Ken used to enslave Digimon.

_It's not controlling me, though. I still think he needs a good swift kick in the pants. I don't think I want to bring him all my friends' heads on a platter or anything like that. So it's just some kind of...ornament, I guess._ He almost wished it had been controlling him. It would have been a lot more like what he was used to from the superintelligent Kaiser.

He carefully worked his fingers all the way around the collar a second time, testing for any sign of weakness or give, but found nothing of the sort. What he _did_ find was a length of cord or leather, he couldn't be certain which, that led from the collar to somewhere else. That was more than a little odd, since he hadn't encountered it the first time he'd felt around the collar. He didn't _think_ anyone could have put it on and he wouldn't have noticed.

_This has to be a dream. If I were awake, I would've heard from His Arrogance already. Wouldn't I?_ Ken never could resist the chance to boast, especially if he had Daisuke in one of his traps. The two times those had happened had been enough to set a pattern in the young Chosen's mind. Of course part of the pattern was that he was rescued, but just this once, he wouldn't mind handling things on his own. Just to show them that they didn't have to keep saving their leader from their enemy.

One long, in-drawn breath later, he took the next step to figuring out this confusing situation. He ran his fingers along the cord to find where it ended. It was only a couple of feet long, so he wasn't expecting it to lead to anything but a wall or a column or pillar of some kind.

Seconds later, his fingers brushed against something solid, and he looked carefully to see what it was. The leash, for that was the only thing it could be described as, was fastened firmly to a ring set into the side of the Kaiser's chair. That, too, was the only thing it could be, especially since the Kaiser was seated in it with a keyboard floating in air before him. He looked up once or twice at the screens flickering beyond, but paid no attention to anything else in the room, including Daisuke.

_Why didn't I see him before?_ Daisuke's mind gibbered softly. He focused on small things right now, saving the larger ones for later. Ken was practically beside him, he should have at least heard him _breathing_ before now. But it was the same as with the collar and leash: he only noticed them when something seemed to _want_ him to. It was as if someone were having a sadistic form of pleasure in letting him find out things one slow step at a time.

As the awareness that he was leashed to his mortal enemy's throne sank into him, Daisuke knew that in a rational, ordered world he would throw himself to his feet and scream at the top of his lungs to be released. It was what he wanted to do, what burned in every muscle of his body that should be done. But he didn't.

There was no question that he wanted out of here. But something about the unnerving strangeness of this place kept him from doing anything to draw attention to himself. Part of him seemed to be whispering if _he_ hadn't noticed Ken until some unknown condition had been fulfilled, then perhaps Ken wouldn't notice _him_ until something on _his_ part had been completed.

_In other words, self_, Daisuke couldn't help but grin at the unfamiliar thoughts wandering through his mind. _If I don't notice him, he won't notice me. I think Iori called this the ostrich outlook once. I don't think it's going to work, but he keeps on working as if I'm not even here right now. Better than nothing._

He sagged back to his haunches a little, checking out the situation a little more thoroughly as he did so. This sitting and thinking really went against the grain, but he supposed it had some kind of advantage to it, somehow. _I'm not really sure how, but it must._ The room itself wasn't really all that large, now that he had a better grip on things. It looked much bigger than it was since there was so little actual furniture in it.

The creaking open of a door interrupted the silence briefly, and heralded the arrival of Wormmon. The small Digimon had a sort of harness about himself, which was connected to a moving tray table that he pulled over towards the Kaiser, stopping just a short distance away from Daisuke.

Not a single word was spoken as Ken pulled the tray closer to himself and motioned his partner away with a regal wave of one hand. Daisuke's nose caught the aroma of one of his favorite meals: homemade ramen. _Forget whipping me...just letting me **smell** that and not have any is torture!_

The clear clatter of utensils was muted in the almost mausoleum-like silence, but it was obvious Ken was enjoying his dinner. Daisuke clenched his fists, imagining all the delicious noodles he was missing out on. _This is cruel and inhuman torture! If he went to all this trouble to **get** me, shouldn't he feed me, at least?_ He ignored the violent twisting of his stomach at the very thought of being fed by his enemy. He was going to get out of here, and if that meant he had to eat Ken's food to do it, then he'd do it. Of course that would work better if he were _given_ food, but he knew he'd eat it if it were offered.

He peeked up slightly to see if there were any hopes of getting something, and almost growled out loud to see Ken pushing the empty plate away from himself. _That...that...**pig**! He ate it all!_ Was someone, anyone, playing some kind of a huge cosmic joke on him? Whether it was or not, he wasn't finding it funny at all.

All right, that was it. He wasn't putting up with this any longer. He could see the knot where the leash was fastened to the chair. That gave him something to work on. He inched a little closer to it, touching it lightly with his fingertips. He really should have listened to Jun about how you did knots and things like that. But at the time he was too busy wondering how she knew things like that in the first place. There were things he _really_ didn't want to know about his sister.

Ken really couldn't be all that much of a genius if his way of restraining his captive archenemy was something like _this_. Daisuke practically rolled his eyes as he tugged and worked at that knot. It was _hard_, that was for certain, but it was also just plain silly. He'd always had a little better opinion of Ken's intelligence. Every other time he'd been restrained, it had been by something he couldn't get out of on his own.

Daisuke paused as that crossed his mind. Was Ken toying with him? Did he _want_ him to get out of this somehow? Was it another kind of trap? If he got unhooked, would something _worse_ happen? He almost started to retie the knot, undoing what progress he'd made, then stopped. Whatever happened, good or bad, it _had_ to be better than just tamely sitting here. Ostrich approach be damned...he was going home!

He yanked harder on the leash, which somehow seemed to be resisting him without actually turning into steel or something like that. Had the knot been _this_ hard to undo just a few moments earlier? He couldn't remember. He tugged harder and harder, clawing at the knot with his fingernails when all of his other efforts proved useless. Finally, he was reduced to just glaring nastily at the thing. That didn't help either.

So maybe Ken was somehow better at holding him than he'd thought he was. Or maybe he was just worse at getting out of this sort of thing on his own. It wasn't as if he had _experience_ in it. Stupid Kaiser, never letting him escape on his own. What kind of a sworn enemy was _that_, he wanted to know.

_A very smart one_, a small part of his mind told him. He told that small part of his mind to shut up and go away. That wasn't what he wanted to hear right now.

As he sagged down beside the chair, he noticed Ken moving slightly out of the corner of one eye. He froze in place at once; had he been noticed? He held his breath as Ken's hand came closer, landing ever so lightly on his head, and began to move a little back and forth. _What the...he's...oh, I don't believe this. This can't be happening._

Ken was petting him.

_This is **so** not my day._

The Kaiser's hand stroked him gently, as if this were a usual occurrence. Daisuke stayed as still as he could, doing his best not to draw any extra attention. _How long has he known I was here? Was he just pretending not to notice me before? What is going **on** here?_ All his questions, and not one single answer.

He let his eyes slide closed; fighting to get the leash off had taken more out of him than he wanted to admit, and Ken's hand on his head was very soothing. The Kaiser seemed to know just how to make things relaxing. _This is so wrong, but it feels so right._ He wanted to get away, but squirming out from under his enemy's hand, _literally_ under the hand, was the next thing to impossible. Ken would have him pinned back down in no time. His captor appeared to be treating him relatively nicely at the moment, but that could change in a heartbeat.

_Well, if you call putting some kind of weird collar around my neck, tying me to his chair, and petting me like I'm an animal being nice. But compared to how he's usually treated me, he's being positively **friendly**_. That in itself worried Daisuke more than anything else.

Ken's hand roamed through Daisuke's hair for a few more moments, and it was hard to tell which one of them was enjoying it more. Ken made no other motions to indicate he knew Daisuke was there, not even one of the trademark taunts that usually marked their encounters. Daisuke relaxed against the throne, leaning his head a bit closer to Ken, and let his mind drift away in the soft pleasures of being petted. He could see now why dogs enjoyed it so much. It really did feel _good_.

His eyes snapped wide open at that. He was a _person_, not some kind of an animal! How could Ken be treating him like this, and how could he just be _accepting_ it? His mind fastened onto the only logical explanation: the collar. Before he'd found that on himself, he'd been normal. But ever since...

_I have to get rid of this thing!_ He started to reach up to it, when Ken's stroking hand reminded him ever so subtly of just where he was and what was going on. If he started to yank around trying to get the collar off, the Kaiser would most _definitely_ notice him there if he hadn't already. _Who am I kidding, he does know I'm here, he wouldn't be...petting me if he didn't. So what's the risk of trying something else?_

Daisuke still didn't attempt to remove the collar, however. He reached out to the knot again, ready to give it another try. _Maybe it'll be easier this time around._ He wasn't holding that much hope, however. Ken never made things easy. He preferred mind games, and the more he thought about it, the more this really looked like something Ken was doing on purpose.

His fingers worked at the knot carefully, as he held his head as still as he could. If _that_ didn't move, then he was almost positive Ken wouldn't notice anything unusual. _So what do I do when I've got it undone and I'm ready to get out of here? He could grab this thing in a second and pull me back. Or worse._ Daisuke's mind could and did quite easily conjure up ways it _could_ be worse.

Every once in a while as he worked, Daisuke glanced up at the screens in front of Ken's chair. They appeared to respond to whatever it was he was typing on. _Places in the Digital World? Maybe they're places he's put spires or is planning to put them._ He craned his head a little, trying to get a better look, then froze as the petting hand suddenly stopped. _Uh-oh._

He stopped work on the knot at once, keeping himself as perfectly still as he could. Ken's hand was still on top of his head; it just wasn't petting any longer. A thousand images flittered through his mind, the tension knotting his stomach as badly as it had on the last surprise quiz his teacher had produced.

Then, ever so slowly, the petting began once more. Daisuke relaxed, sighing softly before he realized what he was doing. As soon as the quiet puff of air slipped out, he froze, wondering if _that_ was going to be the mistake that showed whatever Ken's plan really was.

Luck seemed to be with Daisuke at the moment, however, at least as much as it was at all just then. Ken petted quietly, working one-handed on whatever it was he was doing, and appeared to pay no more attention to Daisuke than if he were a statue placed there for the Kaiser's comfort and convenience. Daisuke sucked in a quiet breath, then started once more on the knot, moving just his fingers and arms to the best of his ability.

_I think...yeah!_ The knot came loose, pulling out of the loop easily, and the leash rested in his hand. Daisuke stared down at it for a brief moment, then lifted his eyes, not disturbing the still-petting hand. _Now if he'd just move **that**, I'd be out of here._

Almost at that same moment, Ken returned his hand to the keyboard and started more intense work. Daisuke stared; this really _had_ to be a trap. It was too convenient. The timing was just _wrong_ But even so, it was a trap that he was going to spring and get out of! Ken wouldn't be able to stop him; he'd trip him up, get him tied up in his cape or something. Sure, Ken was faster than he was, but it didn't matter. He could handle this. He _was_ the Chosen of Courage, after all. This sort of crazy stunt was absolutely, one hundred percent in the job description. It had probably been one of the major requirements.

He didn't bother to give himself any more time to think about things. Surprise was the best weapon he had at the moment, along with his fast moving feet. He leaped up, keeping the leash closed tightly in his fist so Ken couldn't get hold of it, and ran the way he'd seen Wormmon coming with the tray. That had to be the way out of here. What other way could there be?

Indeed, it only took a few seconds for him to find the door, which was open. Daisuke dashed through it as swiftly as he could, and found himself in a long hallway, with a few other doors on each side. One or two of them were open, and two other hallways were visible, one only a few steps down to the right, the other several feet to the left. He stopped just outside the door, part of his attention behind him, keeping an ear out for Ken. All the rest of it was on the hallway and any approaching Digimon.

When several minutes passed, and there wasn't any sign of anything from Ken or from outside, Daisuke started down the hallway. As he came to one of the open doors, he peered inside carefully, ready to jump and run at the first sign of anything unusual. Instead, all he saw was...an empty room. It looked much like his first impressions of Ken's throne room had been, empty and cold, but it was completely bare. It lacked even the designs that the other room had.

_This is really weird. Why have an **empty** room here?_ He couldn't figure it out and finally just chalked it up to the room having some purpose that meant it didn't need furniture. Maybe this was where Ken kept captive Digimon before shoving them into cages or something.

He moved on quickly, checking on any of the other doors he could for any sign of a way out. Every room he looked into, however, was just like that one: utterly empty. "All right," he muttered to himself, "this is just getting _creepy_."

Daisuke leaned against a wall and closed his eyes. His stomach was rumbling at him; he'd been running around a lot since he'd gotten out of there, and he'd skipped dinner the night before to boot. _Maybe I should go ask Ken for something to eat before I leave_. The thought of all of that ramen Ken had wolfed down before was absolutely tantalizing. _He really should have saved me some. I'm going to punch his lights out just for that._

He glanced down the hallway, seeing a single door framed in light. That was where he had come from: Ken's main room, as far as he'd been able to learn. As much as he'd searched, he hadn't found any other way out of here. _There has to be something, though. Wormmon came from somewhere, and I haven't seen him anywhere around here._

Suddenly, a familiar shadow appeared in the doorway, and Daisuke reacted as quickly as he could by dodging into the nearest open door. He could hear calm footsteps coming down the hall in the same direction he was in, and clenched his fists, determined not to just give up. However Ken had caught him the first time, he wouldn't do it again, not that easily. There'd at least be a fight this time. Maybe just a small one, but there'd be one.

He turned and sent his very best death-glare, picked up from Jun when some guy turned her down for a date, at the door as the footsteps came closer. He could see the familiar shadow of the Kaiser stretching out in front of him, then he could see Ken himself, calmly walking along, every inch the regal conqueror.

The Digimon Kaiser passed the door without so much as glancing to one side. Daisuke stared after him, then craned his neck around the doorway to see what Ken did. His enemy paused briefly in front of a wall, then raised one gloved hand to touch it. Daisuke stared as the wall _rippled_, then opened up into an arched doorway. Ken walked through it, and as his cape cleared the opening, it faded back into a solid wall with a small 'squelch' sound.

Daisuke could hardly believe what his eyes were telling him. This was so...so _space-age_ that his mind couldn't begin to comprehend it for a few seconds. He dashed over to where Ken had walked through the wall and pounded his fist on it hard. "Let me out of here, Ken!" He yelled as loudly as he could. "You can't keep me here! I'm going to get out! So you'd better just make it easy on yourself and _let me out_! Let me out! Let me **_out_**!"

He yelled and screamed until his voice gave out, but the wall remained as solid and obstinate as it could. Daisuke sank into a miserable heap beside it, denying the tears that slipped down his cheeks as he did, and stared at the blank floor beneath him. _I don't understand any of this._ He had never really felt as if he were stupid until now. None of this made any kind of sense. Not even the weird sense of the Digital World.

At some point, Daisuke figured he'd gotten up and started wandering, since that was what he found himself doing an unknown time later. He didn't remember doing it, but since he'd been doing things without remembering how he'd started to do them for a while now, that didn't bother him all that much. His feet came to a rest outside of a familiar lighted door and he stared into Ken's room once more.

It didn't appear to have changed since he'd left it, except for Ken not being in it. The cart that Wormmon had brought was gone as well, but the chair and the screens remained the same. He wandered over to it, dropping down into the chair without a second thought. He was in Ken's fortress; what did it matter if he happened to sit on the 'throne of power'. What more could Ken do to him other than separating him from his friends and his Digimon, and he'd already done _that_. He'd even collared him.

Daisuke absently touched the band once more, and was a little surprised to find that it was warm. He was certain he'd remembered it being _cool_ when he'd first found out it was there. Now it felt more like warm skin than anything else. _Guess that comes from wearing it so often._ He was certain it had something to do with the strange things that had been going on inside and outside of him since he'd opened his eyes and found himself here. He tugged at it half-heartedly, but like so many other things, it didn't change no matter what he did to it.

The screens above were blank now, and he had no idea where the keyboard was. Not that he really would have known what to do if they were working, if he were honest with himself. Ken's setup was so vastly different from the computers that he was used to that he would hardly know how to turn the thing on without blowing it up. Though if you asked Miyako, that was a problem he had most of the time anyway. Luckily, he had never asked Miyako.

"Are you enjoying yourself in my chair, Daisuke?" The shadow of the Kaiser fell on him just before the words were spoken, and Daisuke looked up to see his enemy standing in the doorway, an amused grin gracing his lips. "That's not really where you belong. It's close...but not quite there."

Daisuke stayed where he was, staring angrily at the other boy. "What's going on here, _Ken_?"

"That's for me to know and you to learn as I teach it to you." Ken stepped closer, cape flaring about him as he did so. "I think you'll enjoy the lessoning, as well. I've planned it out very carefully."

Daisuke slid out of the chair and stared at the Kaiser as he calmly paced over to him. Ken came to a stop right in front of him, gazing down at the redhead, cold amethyst eyes glinting behind his glasses. Every word that Daisuke wanted to say froze in his throat as he eyed the other.

But as frozen as his throat was, Daisuke's body still was capable of movement. He jerked around Ken and made a run for the door, not bothering to hold the leash as he had earlier. If Ken wanted to grab it, he could. But he was going too fast to be stopped by that. If Ken tried, he'd just yank it right on out of there. The door, and hopeful escape, if only for a few seconds, was just a few paces away, and he started through it...

He never took that step. He couldn't have, not once he saw what was waiting out there now. What had been there wasn't there anymore. The hallways and the rooms were gone. Only one room lay beyond the doorway, and it was a complete and utter impossibility. His mind raced and worked, trying to figure out how this could be, but nothing that even vaguely resembled a sensible answer came out. Try as he might, it was there, in all the blazing illogic that could be mustered.

"Do you see something interesting out there, Daisuke? I'd be _happy_ to explain it to you. I don't think you really want to hear it, though. It's a little confusing. But you don't have to worry. It won't be long until you don't really care anymore."

Daisuke ignored Ken's voice. What he was staring at meant a lot more, even if it made no sense whatsoever. He started to cross the threshold, then hesitated, one foot hovering in mid-air. What if it was just some kind of illusion or trick? Everything else in this place seemed to thrive off of those things, and this was even crazier than everything else he'd seen.

What he was looking at was _his_ bedroom. In his family's apartment on Earth.


	2. The Petting Problem

_**Legal Disclaimer:** All characters within are the legal property of Toei Entertainment, or were inspired by such. This is done only for amusement.  
**Series Title:** Fade In, Fade Out  
**Chapter Title:** The Petting Problem  
**Romance:** Ken/Daisuke  
**Rated:** T_

Dream. Vision. Illusion. Hallucination. Nightmare. Shadows. Reality.

All of those things were Ichijouji Ken's to manipulate in the Digital World. Daisuke had understood that for months now. It didn't make what was going on _or_ what he was currently staring at any easier to deal with. All he could do was just _look_. And wonder.

"What's the matter, Daisuke?" Ken's voice came from behind him, but he didn't look. The leash hanging from the collar around Daisuke's neck knocked against his knees a little, but it didn't seem to be doing anything else, such as dragging him back to the throne or to wherever Ken was waiting for him. As far as he was concerned, that meant he didn't _have_ to answer the Kaiser. "See something that catches your interest?" Deep amusement colored the self-styled monarch's voice.

That didn't matter to Daisuke, though. The redhead kept on stubbornly refusing to acknowledge anyone else's presence. Ken hadn't paid attention to _him_ when he'd been going out of his mind with confusion and fear. Why should he notice the Kaiser now? Something more important had his attention. He needed to take this step, to find out what lay beyond the doorway in front of him. Was it _really_ his own bedroom or was it some trick of Ken's? The way things had been going, it was probably some nightmare hybrid of the two.

_Only one way to find out._ Daisuke leaned back briefly, then threw himself through the doorway as hard as he could. As he passed it, his vision went completely dark and pure arctic _could_ ran all through him, as if he'd somehow crossed into the depths of a snowstorm without any kind of preparation whatsoever. If that was the cost of going home, he'd pay it a thousand times over. Anything was better than kneeling at the Kaiser's feet like some kind of pet or slave.

He was certain he felt his feet moving as he crossed the threshold, and blinked several times, trying his best to clear his eyes. As things began to become visible around him, all the blood rushed away from his face, leaving him pale as a ghost. This was not happening.

He hadn't moved. He was still on the same side of the door he had been, his hands clenched with a deathgrip on both sides of the door frame. On the other side, he could _still_ see his bedroom, just as it had been when he'd went to sleep that night, before all this nightmare had begun. The bed was even slept in. He could even see Chibimon now, and his heart ached at the sight of the adorable blue delight.

_Chibimon, I hope he leaves you alone. Hey, hold on...what's **that**?_ There was something else in his bed. No, it wasn't a some_thing_ else. It was something a lot more insane.

It was a some_one_.

To be even more precise, it was _himself_.

Motomiya Daisuke lay in the bed, snuggling to his partner, wrapped in his familiar blankets, completely and utterly at peace. Daisuke stared at himself, then once more threw himself bodily through the door. Again came the darkness and the cold, and once more when he could see again, he stood staring into his own room, without having budged from where he was.

"This has to be some kind of dream. I can't be watching _myself_!" Daisuke tried just sticking his head through the doorway. That had to do something, didn't it?

Apparently it didn't. Yet again came the chill and the shadow, and when it dissipated, everything was just as it had been before. Whatever this was, he wasn't getting any answers out of it _this_ way. "I want to know what's going on here!"

"I'm certain you do." Ken's voice was rich with amusement. "I can tell you what you want to know, but the information will cost you."

Daisuke might not have been a genius on the blue-haired boy's level, but he knew idiocy when he heard it. If you paid for something you were definitely _not_ being given it. He jerked his head around to glare at the enthroned Kaiser. "I'm not falling for any of your traps, Ken!"

"I believe if you'll look around, you'll find that you already have. You _are_ in my home, after all. You'll leave here when _I_ permit it, and not one moment sooner."

The other shook his head quickly. "No way. I'm dreaming. This is just a nightmare. Probably one you're making me have somehow, trying to mess with my head. That's the kind of thing you'd do."

"Now, _really_, Daisuke, don't you think I'd have more interesting things to make you dream if I could?" Ken snorted ever so softly. "Why would I just have you here with me? And even let you escape my grip, if only for a few moments?"

"Because you like to play with people's heads, especially mine," Daisuke retorted, a hundred memories of times Ken had done this surging through his mind. "Why is that, anyway? Do you get a kick out of this?"

The Kaiser leaned back in his throne, almost seeming to take the question seriously before he answered. "Yes. You have no idea how amusing it is to see little bugs squirming around as I poke them." His lips twisted cruelly. "It's even more amusing when they think they can stop me from hurting them. You'll learn just how much fun it can be in time."

"I'd _never_ like anything like that!" Daisuke snapped hotly. Ken really _was_ a psycho. Or worse. "That's just sick!"

"Perhaps to you." Ken granted that slight bit of leniency that someone else might think differently. "But if you were half as intelligent as _I_ am, you'd see things much differently. As it is, you'll still see things differently in good time."

Daisuke stalked over to him, fists clenching and unclenching with every step. "What are you _talking_ about? Give me a straight answer for once!"

"I've given you all the answers I'm planning on giving you, Daisuke." Ken's voice almost seemed to caress his enemy's name, sending chills down the other boy's spine. "If you want more, you're going to have to pay for them. I told you that once already. You better not have thought I was joking."

One of his gloved hands reached up and removed the glasses that concealed his face, putting them to one side. Daisuke shivered at the unveiled power in the now visible eyes, and wondered why he hadn't ever seen it before. He'd seen Ken without his glasses on the news a few times, and then there had been the moment when the Kaiser had revealed who he was to them all. But _none_ of those times had seemed quite like this one moment here. Strength, purpose, power, unyielding commitment to what he wanted, all of those glowed in Ken's eyes for Daisuke to see.

"I don't seem to have any yen on me at the moment." Daisuke pulled his gaze away from Ken's eyes, refusing to be drawn into them. They were very pretty eyes, though. He couldn't blame Miyako for having had a crush on Ken. It wasn't as if the arrogant jerk _wasn't_ the walking talking vision of physical human perfection he was. "So you're going to have to take credit, I guess."

A low, amused chuckle was the only reply before Daisuke's hand was caught firmly between Ken's fingers. "I don't take _credit_, Daisuke. Or yen. It's meaningless in my world."

"What do you take, then?" Daisuke asked before his attention snagged on something else. "And the Digital World isn't your world, either."

"We can argue politics some other time." Ken tried to pull him closer, but Daisuke was having none of this. He dug his heels into the floor as best he could and leaned back, trying to loosen the genius' grip on his wrist even a little bit. "But as for what I do take...I should show you."

Daisuke couldn't begin to comprehend the levels of just how wrong that was. He set his feet more firmly and hauled back with all of his strength, hoping to at least _budge_ the slender Kaiser if nothing else. Ken's amused smile never changed for a moment.

"Let me _go_!" Daisuke snarled, flailing his free arm about furiously. "Don't make me hurt you!"

"You'd hurt me for what, Daisuke? Making you dream something? Just talking to you? Giving you a pretty necklace? I didn't realize you were that vindictive towards gifts."

Daisuke stopped for a moment, staring down at Ken. "Huh?" He'd never felt more eloquent in his life just then. "Gifts?"

The collar around his neck seemed to tighten just for a moment as Ken glanced at it. "A very...fitting addition to your outfit, I think. My own design, of course." Ken tugged Daisuke's wrist once again, and this time the redhead found himself sprawled across the Kaiser, their faces only an inch or two apart. Intense as Ken's eyes were at a distance, they were ten times more so up close.

Being the recipient of such a laser-like gaze wasn't as fun or amusing as Daisuke had always thought it would be. _He doesn't scare me!_ Daisuke declared to himself. _Not one bit!_

A startled squeak slipped through his lips as Ken began to run a hand through his hair, petting it once more. He wanted to pull away, but none of his muscles appeared to be in the mood to co-operate. Just like before, relaxation spread all through him from where that hand touched. More than ever he knew this was wrong, but trying to stop it was just not possible.

As his eyelids began to slide shut, Daisuke caught a glimpse of Ken's face. The last time this had happened, he'd been too busy panicking over the thought Ken might _actually know_ he was there to even consider getting a glimpse of his enemy. _He looks...happy?_ That wasn't something he was ever used to thinking on connection with Ken. Amused, sarcastic, angry, furious, insane, smug, taunting, gloating...all of those were things that Ken could be. Happy just hadn't made the cut.

_Doing this to **me** makes him happy?_ Daisuke was finding it harder and harder to put together coherent thought the more Ken's fingers went through his hair, lightly massaging his scalp, and quite nearly caressing the nape of his neck. Waves of pleasure he'd never imagined were _possible_ from this kind of thing swept all through him.

He was snapped out of his reverie when he heard an amused chuckle, and opened his eyes to see Ken eyeing him with purest glee. "You seem to enjoy my touch, Daisuke." Ken hadn't stopped petting for a moment, and Daisuke fought to retain enough focus to answer him.

"It feels good." He didn't sound like the strong, defiant leader of the Chosen Children he wanted to sound like. In fact, he almost sounded as if he were a step or two away from begging Ken to keep on petting him!

Ken's hand brushed through his hair a few more times, then slowly came about to cup Daisuke's chin carefully, bringing his head up so their eyes met once more. "It seems you _can_ be taught to accept the inevitable. What a good boy you are." Daisuke tried to wrench his head away, but Ken's fingers simply gripped more tightly. "Now, now, you've been doing so well. Don't make me have to punish you. I wouldn't enjoy that...very much."

The smirk and the amused inflection to Ken's voice sent chills running down Daisuke's spine as he redoubled his escape efforts. "I wouldn't enjoy it at _all_! I don't even like being grounded!"

"Grounding is the least thing you have to worry about with me. If you don't enjoy punishment, then I would seriously advise you _not_ to irritate me." Ken warned him, the intensity going up several notches. Daisuke froze on the spot; Ken might not _scare_ him, but there was no need to push him over the edge. Just like when he'd thought the Kaiser was holding his friends, he had to do what he didn't want to do.

As he forced himself to relax, Ken began to pet him once more, smug superiority now creeping across his features. Daisuke closed his eyes, not wanting to see that. _It was nicer when he was happy. It was almost like he was a real person instead of a jerk._

"Do you still want those answers, since you've paid for them so very sweetly?" Ken asked, timing his words to coincide with each stroke of his fingers. "Or does it really make that much of a difference what's going on, Daisuke?"

Daisuke shifted around a little; this place seemed so much warmer now than it had before. There seemed to be something tugging a little at his leash; he guessed that was Ken playing with it. Well, he'd put it on him, so it was his and he could toy with it if he wanted to. For an all-powerful conquering overlord, Ken sure seemed to like to play a lot. Wait, he'd been asked something, hadn't he? It was so hard to focus with the way Ken was petting him. That really did a number of his brain cells.

"Mmm...did you say something? I thought I heard..."

A low chuckle echoed up from Ken's chest. "It's nothing important, Daisuke. You're enjoying yourself and that's what really matters. Don't be afraid to admit it."

Daisuke nodded slowly, the warmth of the throne room lapping all around him like a cozy blanket. The more he stayed where he was, the less he could imagine wanting to be anywhere else. How _could_ anyone be happier than he was right now? He was warm. He was extremely safe. Who would bother him, sitting with the Digimon Kaiser?

_Hold on a second..._ There was something _very_ wrong about that. He thought a little; why was this bothering him? Everything seemed find. Warm, content, being petted by the Kaiser. Was there something wrong with this picture or was he just crazy?

Being petted by the Kaiser. That ran through his mind over and over again. It had to mean something important. Obviously it felt good, and as long as Ken was touching him, he didn't seem quite as able to think as he knew he should be able to. That didn't really help as he tried to figure out just what was bothering him about all of this.

"Ken...could you stop petting me for a little while? I want to think about something and I can't really do that while you're doing _this_." He asked without thinking, and almost at once the gentle hand stopped. "Thanks."

"Just what is it you want to think about, Daisuke?" An edge of fire glowed in Ken's voice, hinting at displeasure. Daisuke brushed it aside mentally; Ken hadn't really been angry at him since he'd arrived here, so why would he start now? Daisuke wasn't doing anything wrong. He was just trying to think.

He fidgeted a little, doing his best to get more comfortable. "This kind of feels wrong for some reason, and I'm trying to figure out why. Any ideas?"

Ken was silent for so long that Daisuke turned to look at him, wondering what was wrong. One would think that Ken, of all people, would understand exactly what the problem was and would have some kind of answer tailor made. Instead, he met a pair of laser-like violet eyes that pierced into his soul, glimmering with fury. "You think there is something _wrong_ about this?"

"Well, yes." Daisuke blinked in confusion. "You're the Digimon Kaiser and there's something that just says it's _wrong_ for me to be sitting here with you."

"Is that so." It was so completely not a question that a question mark wouldn't have entertained the thought of coming within thirty miles of that particular trio of words.

Daisuke squirmed around a little more, then squawked as Ken suddenly shoved him onto the floor and rose to his feet, his sunglasses making a reappearance on his face with no more than a flicker of his fingers. "Hey! Did I say something to upset you? _Hey_!" The second exclamation was caused when Ken seized the leash firmly in one hand and stalked to the door, dragging Daisuke behind him easily. "Hey, Ken, you can stop, I can walk, you know!"

The Digimon Kaiser didn't so much as look behind him as he strode out of his throne room. Daisuke stumbled along behind him, hurrying the best he could to avoid being choked. The collar seemed to shrink a little more whenever Ken yanked on the leash to keep him close, and it came close a time or two to cutting off all of his air.

Daisuke caught a glimpse or two of other doors opening off of the hallway outside the throne room, and seemed to remember having run by some of them before. The more time passed without Ken petting him, the more things began to rush back into his mind. _I didn't want to be here! Ken kidnapped me or something...or maybe this is really a dream...never did get that straight...if it's a dream, it's the most real one I've ever had!_

Ken didn't slow down for a moment as they approached a blank wall. Daisuke tried his best to haul back and get Ken to at least hesitate for a few moments, but nothing happened. Or to be precise, Ken didn't stop. Something did happen however.

The wall opened up, the hole shaping itself into an archway. Daisuke had only a moment before he remembered seeing that once before, and before he was hauled bodily through the door. On the other side, Ken turned sharply to the right and stalked down another corridor, still dragging Daisuke along.

"You know, you could at least let me _walk_ with you!" Daisuke clawed at the leash and collar for a few seconds before having to stumble along to avoid being jerked to the floor. "I'm not that slow, Ken!"

Still, for all the answer he got, Daisuke might not have said a single word. Ken finally pulled to a halt outside of a door, throwing it open. "The meal I ordered for my guest. It had _better_ be ready now."

_Meal? Is he finally going to feed me?_ Daisuke's stomach clearly remembered the scent of the delicious ramen Ken had indulged himself in earlier.

"Yes, master!" Wormmon came scuttling out of the room with a plate held up carefully in his pods. It quivered back and forth with every step he took, and Daisuke imagined if something happened so the poor caterpillar spilled it, things would go very bad for him. Even Ken's partner wasn't exempt from Ken's wrath. "It's just as you wanted it made."

Ken nodded abruptly as he snatched the plate away and whirled around to face Daisuke. "I know you've been hungry. You haven't eaten in a while." The Kaiser seemed to be _trying_ to be nice, and he wasn't doing a very good job of it right now. His voice trembled as if speaking somewhat politely was actually _painful_ to him. "I had this made especially for you."

Daisuke looked down at the plate, and fairly well salivated where he stood. One of his favorite meals was spread out before him, sautéed mushrooms and yet more ramen. "Thanks!" He hesitated; there were still a few things missing for a decent meal.

"Here." Ken stiffly held out a can of Daisuke's favorite soda. "Now, come along." Hardly waiting for Daisuke to get a firm grip on things, he started off in an entirely different direction than the one they'd come from. Daisuke managed to keep hold of the plate and can, and threw out a muttered 'idiot' under his breath as he did. Didn't Ken understand the importance of _not_ shaking one's soda can before drinking it?

Apparently he didn't, since he kept jerking Daisuke this way and that as they hurried through the myriad of corridors. Daisuke tried to keep some sort of mental map as Ken turned down some, walked down others, and in some cases appeared to completely walk in a circle for no other reason than exercise. By the time they came to a halt, however, Daisuke was thinking just a little differently.

_If I can find my way back to where we were ten seconds ago, I think I'd be very, **very** lucky. Why's he doing all this? He could just tell all these doors not to open up and let me out. I just don't get it._

"You can eat here." Ken pushed him down onto a padded seat in one corner of a sunlight filled room. Daisuke squawked slightly, trying not to lose hold of his food or drink, and carefully placed them down beside him. "Don't be all day about it, either. I have things to do, and I'm not waiting around for you."

"Why don't you just leave me here and go do them, then?" Daisuke asked without thinking. He peeked up just in time to see Ken's hand coming towards him, and flinched automatically, expecting a sharp slap or hit. Instead, the gloved hand touched his cheek lightly, caressingly.

"I have my reasons. Now eat. Enjoy yourself." Ken settled himself beside Daisuke, leaning back with a superior tilt to his head. The hand that had caressed Daisuke's cheek now slid upwards to go through his hair, once more lightly petting him. "Not many people see my personal bedroom, you know. I'm giving you a great honor."

Daisuke tried not to listen too much to what Ken was saying as he moved his head slightly. The attempt to get away from the hand didn't do that much, however. Ken simply followed him, and there wasn't much room for him to move in the first place. The leash was looped firmly around one of Ken's wrists, and the Kaiser had already shown that he was much, much stronger than Daisuke. Right now, getting away wasn't possible. _I'll figure a way out of this. No matter how long it takes. Guess it won't hurt to have dinner, though. Or whatever this is._

The mushrooms and ramen were absolutely delicious, possibly even worth being dragged through half of Ken's fortress to get them. Daisuke glanced around a little as he ate, remembering his captor had claimed this was his bedroom. There was indeed a huge bed not that far off, and various items of furniture scattered about, as well as a floor covered in rich blue rugs. A wide window let in sunlight all over the wall the two of them were seated against, and a fresh breeze slipped in through the same window.

"This really isn't what I was expecting from your room, you know," he commented. "I was thinking something a lot barer. You know, just what you need, no frills."

Ken chuckled softly. "I am royalty. I deserve the very best of everything." His gaze never left Daisuke as he murmured once again, "Everything."

Daisuke mentally shrugged; Ken's attitude could be as changeable as the wind, but it never shifted from one thing: _he_ was the center of his own universe. He had other things to worry about than the Kaiser's delusions of grandeur, though. He chewed and swallowed, savored and enjoyed, and somewhere in there he noticed there was an odd vibration of some kind coming from his throat. It seemed to be somehow tied into Ken's unceasing petting of his head and neck. It wasn't something that had happened before, but it just felt so natural that a part of him was actually surprised that it hadn't.

He almost spat out a mushroom as he realized just what the vibration was: he was purring. Purring like some great cat in purest contentment.

"Isn't this nice, Daisuke?" Ken's velvety voice slid into his ears in time with the delicate petting as he removed the plate from Daisuke's suddenly nerveless fingers. "Just you and I here, no one to bother us, ever. The Kaiser and his favorite."

Daisuke's eyelids were once more starting to slide shut. It seemed to be his natural reaction to what Ken was doing. So relaxing, so very _nice_. He didn't really need to think about a whole lot anymore. Ken wouldn't think _for_ him; there was just nothing he needed to think _about_.

"F...favorite?" He was hardly aware he'd spoken the word until it fell from his lips. "Favorite what?" Why was he even asking? What did it matter? What Ken said was correct. _Everything_ Ken said was correct.

"Just my favorite. My favorite everything. You like being that, Daisuke, I know you do. You know it too, there's no need to argue about it. That would indicate someone might be wrong about something that simple, and that's just not so. I'm never wrong, you know _that_ as well as you know all of this." Pet, pet, pet, his fingers went through Daisuke's hair, brushing against the scalp, down the neck, back to the top to start all over again, an unceasing hypnotic rhythm. "I am the Kaiser. You're my favorite. You enjoy it. I enjoy it. It's what's _is_. Fighting it would be like trying to fight the sunrise. It makes no sense and can't be done."

Daisuke had never felt so completely and perfectly relaxed in as far back as he could remember. At this moment, however, that period extended back perhaps twenty minutes at best. Ken's voice made things even better. Not only did everything he say make the most perfect sense, but it was just a nice voice to listen to. _I could listen to him forever..._ Just thinking about that made him want to purr again.

As a matter of fact, he realized he _was_ purring again; he could feel the vibration as Ken's fingers ghosted briefly across his throat. The feather-light touch, combined with that purr, sent chills of raw pleasure all through him. How could _anyone_ deny something that felt this good? It was just _silly_! He couldn't believe he'd ever wanted to stop this from happening. Ken might be the Kaiser, but it was right that he stay with him. He was Ken's _favorite_.

"Come along, Daisuke. I told you, I have things to do and they can't wait any longer." He felt a tug at his leash, and quickly got up, following Ken through the corridors. There was no need to try and plot out where they were going. Ken knew it, and that was all he needed to know right now. He thought he spied a glimpse of Wormmon, and the scent of something delicious cooking, but it was gone too fast for him to notice. He was almost positive it was more mushrooms. _I hope I'm right. Those were so good. The best I've ever had. I wonder if they were Digital World mushrooms or something Ken imported?_ The thought kept him occupied only for a few moments, abandoned instead for watching Ken's smooth movements as he strode along.

All too soon they were through the door that pretended to be a wall most of the day, and Ken sat himself regally upon his throne. Daisuke gracefully dropped down to his knees beside Ken, paying little attention as the other unlooped the leash from his arm and neatly fastened it to the side of the throne once more. He glanced up slightly, seeing those eyes behind the glasses once more. Contentment, happiness, peace filled them as Ken reached over and began to run his fingers through Daisuke's hair, petting him over and over.


	3. The Normal Morning

_**Legal Disclaimer:** All characters within are the legal property of Toei Entertainment, or were inspired by such. This is done only for amusement.  
**Series Title:** Fade In, Fade Out  
**Chapter Title:** The Normal Morning  
**Romance:** Ken/Daisuke  
**Rated:** T_

Daisuke rolled over, then groaned as he threw up one hand to block out the sun from burning through his brain. _I should try to rearrange this place or something...this is just getting...on my...nerves..._ His thoughts trailed off as he realized exactly what was going through his mind. His eyes snapped open, his head swivelling this way and that.

This was _not_ where he'd been. When he'd closed his eyes, he'd been kneeling by the Kaiser's feet, his mind deeply encased in a thick, pleasant haze. But now...now, he sat up in his bed in the clear light of morning, with Chibimon making his familiar sleep-noises just a few inches away.

"Is this _ever_ going to end?" Daisuke sagged back onto his pillows and closed his eyes. "Or at least make some kind of _sense_?"

"Daisuke?" Chibimon's huge eyes opened and he stared at his partner. "Is everything all right? You were making the weirdest noises all night long."

Daisuke slowly shook his head. "I was here all night?" That was _not_ what he remembered.

"Of course you were, where else would you be?" Chibimon blinked slowly, rubbing at his grumbling stomach. "Can we have breakfast now? I'm hungry!"

"Um...sure...I guess." Daisuke sat up carefully, looking around. Yes, this really was his room. Everything was just as he'd left it. The normality of it just increased his feelings that there was something _ab_normal about the whole thing. _Last time I kept hoping it was a dream and it wasn't...at least, I don't think it was._

He ran a hand over his forehead and started it down towards his throat before stopping. He was almost certain he felt the tight fit of that collar around his neck still. _No way. Just a dream. I don't care if I feel it, I don't **feel** it. Not for a second._

"Daisuke?" Chibimon scratched his ear as he stared soulfully at his partner. "Is something wrong? You're acting kinda funny."

"No, nothing's wrong." Daisuke jumped to his feet, grinning widely. It _had_ just been a dream. Oh, probably the Kaiser had really had _something_ to do with it. Some wacked out plan or something, but it had failed. He was here, he wasn't _there_, and he wasn't ever going to go back there. Therefore _he_ had won and if the Kaiser didn't like that, then the Kaiser could just deal with it!

He practically danced over to the window and threw it open, basking in the warm morning rays of the sun. It was deliciously warm, just perfect for early summer. He soaked in the warmth like balm, closing his eyes and letting it wash away all the memories of the nightmare. No more thinking about the chill of the fortress and the way it crept into his bones. No more thinking about how deliciously, _sinfully_ warm it was when he had been following Ken around like a tame puppy.

Which hadn't really been all that _bad_. There were much worse images he could've been subjected to. Like having to watch Hikari do all of those things. He shuddered violently; the mere idea of the brilliant Child of Light having to suffer through what he had was disgusting. _Then again, I really don't think Ken even notices most of the others._ He was still checking if that came under the 'disadvantage' or 'advantage' side of the ledger sheet when it came to being the leader of the team. There was a pretty strong indication that when all bets were off, it wasn't exactly the favored position he'd thought it was just a few months earlier.

"Daisuke!" A hard sharp banging echoed from the door, along with the annoyed tones of his sister. "Are you up yet? Hurry up and take your shower! I've got to get ready for school too, you know, and it takes me a lot longer than it does you!"

"Good morning, Jun!" Daisuke chirped merrily, happy enough to give his pest of an older sister a bone-crushing hug, if she hadn't been on the other side of the door. "Did you sleep well? I did, but I had this really weird dream. Nothing to worry about though, it was just...really weird."

"All your dreams are weird, Daisuke. That's because _you're_ weird, or didn't you know that yet? Don't think I haven't heard you talking to that stuffed blue...thing of yours. Where did you get that anyway?"

Daisuke shot a quick look over at Chibimon, who instantly assumed a button-eyed stare and a limpness that would pass him off as the stuffed animal Jun and his parents thought he was. "He was a gift from someone really special. I can't go anywhere without him."

"You kids." He could almost envision Jun shaking her head. "Look, hit the shower and get out of there. Yamato's got a rehearsal this afternoon, and I'm not going to look horrible when I get there!"

"What makes you think he's even going to let you in?" Daisuke bustled about his room grabbing the things he needed. "It's not like you two are _dating_ or anything."

"I've got connections!" Yes, that was the definite preening tone in her voice. He'd heard it several times over the last year or two. "Momoe's sister Chizuru works with the band, and she was able to talk them into letting us watch them, as long as we're quiet and don't ask for autographs or dates or anything."

Daisuke blinked; the thought of Jun actually quietly watching her favorite band rehearse just wasn't computing properly. "And you said _yes_?"

"Hey, it's probably the only real chance I'll ever have to see them without having to fight for really good seats. And maybe if I get lucky, Yamato might _really_ notice me this time."

"Don't hold your breath." He was positive he could _feel_ the glower directed at him from the other side of the door. He loved mornings at his place.

"Very funny, Daisuke. Watch out, or I could show a few very specific baby pictures of you to a certain crush of yours." Jun wasn't joking; their mother kept photographic evidence of every part of their lives in the family photo albums. Part of Jun's ritual before ever going on any date was to hide those albums where her parents couldn't find them, just on the off chance that they might decide to try and show said photographs to her prospective boyfriend.

This was playing _dirty_, though! "Jun, that's not fair! You wouldn't do that...would you?"

"Behave yourself and you won't have to find out. Now get going!" He heard her heading away and shook his head. There were advantages to having an older sister, he knew, but he couldn't think of any right now.

Once he heard her door closing, he headed to the bathroom, making certain not to pay any particular attention to his neck area as he put his things down and started the shower going. He also made certain not to pay particular attention to the fact he wasn't paying any particular attention there.

What _could_ Ken be plotting that would make anything like that dream necessary? Could he even prove Ken had caused the dream and it wasn't something his own mind had screwed up and produced? _I don't think I would dream something like on my own. Who'd **want** to be some kind of collared and leashed slave?_ Every particle of free spirit in him screamed in denial at the thought of that.

Heck, he still woke up on occasion having nightmares about when Ken had forced him to kneel down to him, and that had been _months_ ago! That proved he didn't really want to be treated like that! If it had been _his_ dream, then it would've have been the nightmare it was. Yeah, that was it. There, he'd proven it quite logically. It was all Ken's fault. So there.

So that brought him right back to what Ken might be scheming that would make this a logical move on his part. _Well, getting me all upset would probably be a good thing in his books._ One would've had to be blind to miss the fact Ken's primary focus was on Daisuke himself more than anyone else. The others only became targets if they did something unusual to bring his attention on them. Daisuke lived and breathed having that fiery regard on him constantly.

_Not that it was so bad with him watching me up close and personal._ A flash of those intense eyes in his mind's gaze shot a thrill and a chill down his spine. _Kind of scary, but I can live with it._ He ignored the fact that 'living with it' could have far more than one meaning. He was ignoring a lot this morning.

He leaned back in the shower, letting the warm water wash all over him just as the sun had not that long ago. Whatever and whyever he'd been dreaming, he'd done a lot of sweating that night, and he wanted it off himself. He soaped up carefully, running his fingers through his hair a little, then down closer to his neck, but not quite touching it or anything close to it. _That really does feel good. No wonder I was purring. Guess it wasn't anything **he** was doing. If I can make myself do it, then it's just...something I do. Guess I have one of those 'hair fetishes' or whatever it is Jun called it._ Maybe he'd actually have to talk to his sister about this kind of thing.

No, he didn't. There were things one just didn't mention to one's elder siblings. Having wacky dreams about your worst enemy came pretty close to the top of the list.

"Daisuke!" Jun's fist pounded on the bathroom door. "Get _out_ of there! I told you I've got to get ready! You're wasting time! Your breakfast's on the table. Get _moving_ or you're going to be late!"

"Fine! You sure know how to wreck a guy's morning." Daisuke grumbled, not at all enjoying being broken out of his wonderful hot water reverie. He'd just awakened from something _mindbending_ and Jun was being very inconsiderate by not letting him deal with it in his own way. He added the fact Jun had no idea about what he'd dreamed to his list of things he was ignoring. It didn't matter. She was supposed to know this kind of thing without being told. She knew just about everything else in his life that he didn't want her to know, with the exception of Chibimon, and there were times when he wondered if she didn't somehow know about him anyway!

He jumped out of the shower and quickly dried, yanking on his clothes as his hair dripped into his eyes. _I'm going to hate getting into high school._ He shuddered at the thought of having to wear one of those uniforms constantly. They looked good on Yamato or Taichi, and even Koushirou could look pretty snazzy in one, but on him...he wasn't so sure. _How am I supposed to get Hikari to notice me if I look just like everyone else?_ Of course, she hadn't really seemed to notice him too much when he _wasn't_ in a uniform.

There was time enough for that, though. First things first. Teach Ken a few lessons about playing with his head, then get him to stop being the Kaiser. Then teach him about how to be a _good_ Chosen Child. There were a lot of places he had an idea Ken didn't even know existed in the Digital World, beautiful places that Taichi had told him about. Though he hadn't really seen too many of them himself, they had to be there, and sharing them with a guy who thought he knew everything would be fantastic.

_I bet he'd have this cute look on his face. Kind of soft and amazed._ He dreamed for a moment of seeing Ken like that, instead of hard and cruel and commanding. There was something strangely attractive about that look. He _did_ bear the faintest resemblance to Hikari, but not so much that they could be related. _I think he's better looking, though, really._ Daisuke mused to himself as he ran his brush through his hair. _Prettier. I bet if he were an anime character, he'd be the lead angsty pretty boy. He's got that kind of look._

He blinked slightly to himself; had he just been thinking the Kaiser was _attractive_? "Maybe I should stop daydreaming and get on to school. This is a really weird morning."

The thought was pushed out of the way effortlessly as he was practically thrown out of the bathroom and Jun ran into it. "Fangirl," he muttered briefly before devoting himself to the breakfast set out there. Jun had her faults, but she did know how to cook for her energetic brother: in large quantities.

"Daisuke!" His partner peered from his cracked open door at him. "Don't forget _me_!" Huge brown eyes shimmered soulfully at him, and it would take a heart a thousand times harder than Daisuke possessed to turn him down.

"I'll be right there." The redhead gathered up breakfast and hurried to his room. His parents had talked to him a few times about leaving food in there, but he hadn't been able to convince them that there were never leftovers when he did. Chibimon had to be persuaded just to leave the plates, actually. "Here's your share."

Daisuke settled down on the floor, leaning his back and head against the wall briefly as he started back on his own selection of food. _Should I tell anyone about the dream? Iori would probably worry that something bad's going to happen. Miyako would most likely just be jealous **she** didn't dream it._ The older girl had mostly gotten over her crush on the handsome young genius, but there were moments when she backslid. _Hikari...I don't know._ She'd always seemed to feel a little sorry for Ken, as if he were missing out on something that she knew he'd love.

Takeru would go nuts. He was pretty certain of that. The blond hadn't made a big deal of it, but he did _not_ like anything evil, in any way, shape, or form. If he found it anywhere near one of his friends, he'd go halfway or three-quarters insane. Maybe more.

That kind of settled things for telling any of his closer friends among the group. But what about the others? _Taichi, Yamato. Maybe them._ They were older, maybe they had some kind of perspective on this freaky dream thing. For all he knew, it was something that happened regularly to the leaders. Though wouldn't Taichi have mentioned that if it were true? _Oh, here are my goggles, you're the new leader, and by the way, if you happen to dream about being held in bondage by your enemy, don't sweat it. Happens all the time._

At any rate, this was still something he thought he should talk to them about, or at least to Taichi or Yamato. He wanted to discuss this with someone with experience in this kind of manipulation, and he seemed to remember that they'd both mentioned something of the sort having happened when they were in the Digital World three years earlier.

"Daisuke!" Jun's screech was getting more and more impressive. Maybe she should think about joining the Teenage Wolves instead of just fangirling them. Her voice was certainly high enough for some of their songs. "Are you _done_ eating yet? You've got to go soon!"

"Do you have to keep on nagging me?" Daisuke yelled, shovelling some food in quickly. _Is she done with **her** shower already? I didn't think she could move that fast._ "I know how late I can stay before I'm _too_ late!"

Chibimon gulped down the last of his food, leaving the plate sparkling clean behind him. "But, Daisuke, we usually leave before now." He pointed a paw at the clock, which reflected the fact he was almost ten minutes late leaving.

Daisuke stared at it, hardly noticing when the spoon fell from his mouth to clatter onto the floor. _I am **so** dead._ If he got a detention, he could practically _see_ the smugness radiating off of Ken. He'd never actually mentioned his occasional punishments to the Kaiser whenever they'd had a face-off, but that didn't matter. Just as clearly as if Ken stood there, he could hear what the other would say. _You're not going to be worthy to fight me if you keep on being distracted by these petty things, Motomiya. Keep yourself in line, or I'll do it for you._

He grabbed his books and his partner as fast as he could, shoving Chibimon down into his backpack after pushing the books into it. "Sorry I can't soften it up for you, buddy, but you'll be all right. Pretty soon school'll be out for a while anyway and you won't have to be stuck there all day while I'm in class."

"Cool!" Chibimon giggled as he made himself comfortable. "Come on, let's get going! The sooner you go, the sooner we can get to the Digital World and take down some of those spires!"

Digimon. They had a one-track mind, it seemed. He raced out of the apartment without bothering to say anything else to Jun. The slamming of the door would be the only thing she needed to hear to know that he was out of there. It was like this most mornings, after all. The only difference today was his dream, and her actually being able to go to Yamato's rehearsal.

_Why do I keep thinking about that dream?_ It couldn't be that important. Koushirou would probably just call it the random misfiring of some brain cells or something complicated like that. Maybe he should just stop having those heavy meals right before bed. His digestion probably affected his brain. It had been known to happen. Taichi would likely be the first to agree.

That reminded him. He yanked his D-Terminal out of his jacket and tapped off a quick e-mail as he ran. He didn't have time for it to be very fancy, but he didn't need it to be either. Just a simple request to talk to him and Yamato after school.

"They won't be able to help you, Daisuke." A smooth, relaxed, controlled voice came from behind him. He stopped in his tracks, but didn't turn around. If he didn't see him, then he wasn't there, and there wasn't anything that the Kaiser could do to him. He was on _Earth_ after all. Ken wouldn't come back here. He hated this place and everyone in it.

He hit 'enter' quickly and started to put the device back in his jacket when it happened again. "You still want to deny what happened so badly. I'm not surprised. You're not ready yet. But you will be soon." Footsteps calmly walked up to him, and he stared at the trees ahead so he wouldn't have to see a shadow stretched out beside his. It was amazing the things you could _not_ see if you really wanted to not see them.

A familiar hand caressed through his hair, deftly avoiding the goggles perched there. Daisuke restrained himself from purring; it wasn't anything _special_, it was just because a hand was touching him in a way that felt nice! He'd do this no matter who was petting him! Though only Ken had ever seemed to have the idea of it in the first place. If it weren't for him, Daisuke wouldn't have any idea that this could feel so delicious. Warmth spread out from where those slender fingers made contact, reaching all the way down to his toes. He could also feel a bit of extra pressure coming from the general backpack area. Ken had to be holding it down so Chibimon wouldn't come out, and if he listened, he could hear the muffled squeaking of his very irritated partner, not to mention feel him squirming around helplessly.

"You're almost ready, Daisuke. I'll call you when you are. Once I bring you to me the next time, you won't ever leave." His voice held not even the slightest bit of hesitation or doubt about what he was capable of doing.

"You're wrong. I'll never join you, _Ken_!" Daisuke hissed, abandoning the pretence of no one being there. He still didn't look beside him, though. "I'll never betray my friends!"

"You act as if I'm asking your opinion on the matter. You don't have to betray them, Daisuke. You're just going to do what you should have been doing all along: being with me."

Daisuke couldn't help the derisive snort. "You're talking too much, Ken. The villain's not supposed to reveal his plan until he thinks the hero can't do anything about it."

Ken's fingers caressed Daisuke's hair ever so gently, petting through the strands with infinite care. "But you can't do anything about it. No one can. I've been playing with you all before, but now the game has ended, and I'm the winner."

"From where I'm sitting, you haven't even gotten halfway yet!" Daisuke flared. He was about to turn his head and look at Ken, when the fingers on his head stiffened like steel and kept him from moving an inch. Ken wasn't hurting him; he just wasn't letting him turn. "Oh, this is very fun, Ken. Do you like dictating what everyone around you does?"

"Now that you mention it, yes." Once again the petting began. "There's no need to protest. I'm perfectly aware you're enjoying yourself. You just are too stubborn to admit it to anyone, even yourself, right now. I'll be fixing _that_ too."

Daisuke rolled his eyes, then tried to jerk his head around. Ken didn't let him move by so much as a hair's breadth. "Do you _mind_? I'm going to be late for school."

"I'm the only teacher you have to worry about any longer, and you're quite on time for _my_ classes, like it or not." Ken moved his hand back even as he spoke, though. "But for the moment, I'll let you go. We'll be seeing each other again, though, Daisuke, and perhaps sooner than you think."

Ken had an enormous sense of presence; you were aware of him being there really whether you wanted to be or not. Daisuke could feel that presence slowly fading away, and reached behind him to open his backpack flap. "Chibimon? You all right in there?"

"I'm fine!" Chibimon poked his head out and looked around quickly. "What was that? I thought I heard the Kaiser! But we're not in the Digital World, so how could he be here?"

"I don't know. I guess he's still got a way back, he just doesn't want to use it." Daisuke petted his partner for a moment, then started to button down the flap again. "I'm fine, though, he didn't really hurt me."

The small blue Digimon stuck his head back up. "What did he do? Did he threaten you? I bet he did! I'll get him!"

"No, not really. Not what you'd call threats. Just taunting me. It's hard to explain. I don't even really understand it myself." Daisuke looked away, then looked up again at the gleaming numbers of a clock inside of a store display. "What I _do_ understand is I am going to be _late_!"

He pushed Chibimon back down and started running as fast as his legs would carry him for school. _They're going to kill me. I'm going to kill me. Worse, I'm going to get **detention**!_ He put on an extra burst of speed and zoomed into the schoolyard just as the first bell began to ring.

"Hey, Daisuke!" He swerved towards the sound of his name and just barely managed to pull to a stop before he plowed right into Takeru. The blond steadied him with a hand to the shoulder and grinned. "You all right? You look a little upset over something."

Uh oh. That was probably the result of Ken's little visit. "No, I'm fine. Just had some weird dreams, that's all." He could feel Chibimon squirming around in his backpack again, and hoped the young Digimon wouldn't spill the beans. He _really_ didn't want his friends knowing what was going on right now. Not until he had a clearer idea of it himself. That was probably going to take a while, though. "Nothing to worry about."

"If you say so." Takeru shrugged as they started into school. "We thought you were going to be late, though. You sure cut it pretty close."

"Like I said, weird dreams. They've been on my mind since I woke up. But nothing to worry about." Daisuke hurried past them to the computer room to drop off Chibimon. "I've got it all taken care of." He could almost see them looking at each other behind his back as he opened the bag. "Don't tell anyone about what happened." He whispered softly to Chibimon. "I'll take care of it, I promise."

His partner looked at him reproachfully, then scuttled off to hide with the others. Daisuke turned back to his friends and smiled. "So, we've got class to get to, and then we've got some spires to take down once we're done with that." _That sounded bad. They're going to know something's up._ He had to say something else. Something that would keep their minds occupied. "We're going to teach that Kaiser he can't mess around with us!"

"You're right, Daisuke," Iori agreed with a slight smile. It was the kind of smile that tended to make Daisuke very nervous; it almost seemed to say that he knew more about anything or everything than whomever he was smiling at. Coming from a nine year old, that was freaky. "I'll see you after class."

"I should be going, too," Miyako took a step away, then stopped, looking more closely at Daisuke. He was almost positive she was staring at his neck somehow. "Hey, where'd you get that at? I don't remember seeing it on you before. It's kinda cool."

Daisuke froze right where he was. "Uh, what are you talking about?" So, this was what that whole deer in the headlights thing was talking about. He'd wondered a lot. Now he had a whole new appreciation for deer.

"This." Miyako fumbled in her purse for a few seconds, and Daisuke had the strong urge to cut and run, claiming he was going to be late for class if he didn't. He'd be right of course, but that was beside the point. He _really_ didn't want to see what he was positive he was about to. With every passing second, he could feel it more and more clearly, and just what that meant sent his entire head spinning insanely.

She pulled out a mirror and tugged his collar down just a little, angling things so he could see his own neck. "That's what I mean, silly. It's a really pretty collar. I didn't know you were into jewellery like that. So where'd you get it from?"

Daisuke stared into the mirror, one hand creeping up to touch the collar fastened without any kind of latch around his neck. He could see now that it was a beautiful shade of silver, with some of the same designs he'd seen in Ken's fortress etched into it. "Oh...just a gift from someone." He gulped slightly as the mostly normal morning he'd been having came crashing down around his ears. "Someone with very odd tastes." _To say the least._


	4. The School Day

_**Legal Disclaimer:** All characters within are the legal property of Toei Entertainment, or were inspired by such. This is done only for amusement.  
**Series Title:** Fade In, Fade Out  
**Chapter Title:** The School Day  
**Romance:** Ken/Daisuke  
**Rated:** T_

"Odd tastes?" Iori's green eyes were full of concern as he stared up at Daisuke, the silver collar around the redhead's neck gleaming faintly in the school's overhead lights. "Just what does that mean?"

Daisuke hesitated only a little, trying to think of some way that he could make this sound even remotely sane. For all his tendencies to bull his way through anything however, something came out of his mouth that was utterly unlike what he'd thought about saying.

The exact truth.

"I've been having some really weird dreams, or something like dreams anyway," Daisuke blurted, reddening more and more with every word. "I'm with the Kaiser in them. I mean _with_ him. Not just...with him, but _with him_."

They were staring at him. It wasn't the usual kind of thing when he started to go off about something, or anything, or nothing at all, the way he usually did. No, they were staring at him as if he'd just sprouted three heads and nine tentacles and was asking if they looked good on him.

Takeru was the first one to speak. "Are you sure you're feeling all right? The Digital World can have some really weird effects on people sometimes. If that's all there is to it, there's nothing to worry about."

"And what does _that_ have to do with _this_?" Miyako once more pointed at the collar encircling his neck. "I'm not getting it, Daisuke."

He took a long breath; when was someone going to get around to inventing telepathy so he didn't have to _say_ all these things to people? "In my dreams, the Kaiser...Ken...put this around my neck. I'm not even sure when, it was just kind of _there_."

Hikari reached out a hesitant finger and brushed it across the neckwear slightly. "It feels so _cold_. How can you stand to have that on?"

"It feels warm to me." Daisuke touched it himself, the warmth of it pulsating through where his skin contacted it as if it were alive. "Almost hot, sometimes."

Iori shook his head skeptically. "I don't understand how something that you dreamed about could be something that you are wearing in the waking world. It doesn't make any sense."

"I'm not all that sure I remember the last time my life _made_ sense, Iori." Daisuke sighed quietly before he started to yank on the collar once more. "All I know is that I woke up with this on. I've been trying to pretend it wasn't there all morning." He glanced down slightly shamefacedly. "I think I was thinking if I pretended it wasn't there, then it wouldn't be, and everything would just be normal."

Takeru snorted slightly. "That never works. I've tried before." Something about the way he said that which said clearer than any specific words that he was serious. Daisuke made a note to try and find out what it was. He didn't like it when his friends kept secrets from him.

Miyako prodded at the collar again, then hooked two of her fingers underneath it and yanked. Daisuke yelped, pulling away from her with the best dirty look he could manage at the moment. "Thanks a lot, Miyako, that _hurt_!"

"You and me both!" Miyako held out the fingers that she'd used, displaying a small set of blisters. "You're right, that thing _was_ hot! Red hot!"

Hikari gasped softly at the sight, then tugged her friend over to the nearest restroom, muttering about cold water and bandages. Daisuke sighed softly; whatever this thing was, it didn't want to leave him.

"I don't think there's anything that we can do about it right now." Takeru decided, almost reaching for the collar himself. Daisuke stepped back before the blond could touch it, not wanting any more of his friends hurt because of something he had on himself. "We'll get Koushirou to check it out after school. If we don't hurry, we're going to be late anyway."

Daisuke snapped a quick look at the nearest school clock and groaned. "You're right. Let's go!" He had never been that fond of school, but right now, anything that would take his mind off what was going on was more than welcome.

Hikari stuck her head out of the bathroom door quickly. "You guys go on without us. I'm going to make sure Miyako's all right. I'll be a little late though."

"We'll tell the teacher what's up." Daisuke blurted quickly before realizing they _couldn't_ tell him just what was going on. Well, he'd improvise. He tended to be good at that, most of the time.

Iori nodded slightly and hurried on towards his own classroom, casting a worried look in the direction of the bathroom as he did. Daisuke figured the little guy was more worried about Miyako than he really wanted to let on. Part of him wondered what it was like to care about someone like that; not in the way he liked Hikari, or even in the way he was starting to regard Takeru, but as a best friend one could count on anything and everything for. V-mon came so very close, but he wasn't _everything_ Daisuke could want in a best friend, no matter how hard he tried.

Once he and Takeru had told the teacher why Hikari was late, and had slithered into their seats in the classroom just a few seconds ahead of the bell, Daisuke tried to get his mind on the education he was supposed to be getting. After all, history was supposed to be interesting. Unfortunately, everything that the teacher said kept going right over his head.

_This has to be the most **boring** class I've ever been in._ Daisuke propped his head onto his hand and stared at the book, hardly comprehending a thing in it. He knew he could read it; he'd read it before when he hadn't had anything else to do. But today, it was just a mass of incomprehensible symbols and glyphs.

He doodled a few things he supposed might've been notes, if he were in the mood to make them readable. If the teacher said anything to him about it, he had an excuse ready-made. They were in his own special shorthand, one that he could read even if no one else could. He had no idea of what he'd do if he were asked to read them out loud, though.

The door opened, and Hikari hurried in, bowing slightly in apology to the teacher before taking her seat next to Daisuke. "I'm sorry I'm late, but I had to help a friend, she needed to go to the nurse for a few minutes."

"Very well. You haven't missed much, but you might want to ask someone for the notes you didn't hear." Daisuke could see the teacher looking from him to Takeru and winced visibly. This was the stuff nightmares were made of. "I suggest Takaishi. He's more likely to have what you need."

"Hey!" Daisuke jerked his head up instinctively, his mouth engaging before taking time to check in with his brains. That happened a lot to him. "Why wouldn't I have what she needs too?"

The teacher eyed him in amusement. "Do you expect me to believe you've been taking _real_ notes, Motomiya?"

Oops. "Well, of course I have! What else would I be doing, other than sitting here being bored to death?" Uh oh. His mouth was on a roll without him again. Detention? He was staring at a week's worth of it already, and he'd barely said twenty words yet. Well, it was better than occupying the space at Ken's feet. Wasn't it? He'd have to get back to himself on that.

"Mmmmhm." The teacher paced slowly towards him, growing larger and larger with every step. Daisuke lifted his head proudly and stared right into his eyes, refusing to back down. He was the Child of Courage and Friendship, and there wasn't anything some _schoolteacher_ could do to him that would get _him_ afraid. He'd seen things that would drive this man stark raving _nuts_ and lived to talk about it. "Let's see what you have here."

Daisuke barely had time to even reach for the notebook when the teacher had already picked it up and was looking at the first visible page. "I'm not quite certain just what you're taking notes _on_, Motomiya, but it's most certainly not my class. Japanese history has very little to do with something like _this_." He turned the notebook back to Daisuke, motioning to something the young boy hadn't even noticed on it before: a recognizable drawing of a very familiar face. "While we're all concerned about the whereabouts of Ichijouji, I don't think drawing pictures of him in my history class will really accomplish much towards finding him. Now, Yagami," the teacher looked back at Hikari. "Make certain you get the notes from Takaishi. And perhaps you should make certain _he_ does as well." A lesser person than Daisuke might've sunk into his chair at the look the teacher gave him. Daisuke only grinned wildly, not letting any of the worries that clawed at him show in his eyes or expression.

As the teacher returned to the front of the class, Daisuke closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair, avoiding dislodging his goggles by instinct by now. _How the heck did that get there? I don't think I drew it. I don't even **draw**._ But there it was, staring back at him in black and white. He didn't think Ken could make something like this appear, not unless they were in the Digital World. So there had to be some other explanation for it.

The question was, just what could that explanation _be_?

He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. There had to be something somewhere that would give some answers, even if he didn't know what it was. He could feel the collar around his neck a little more clearly now, and he tried to adjust it without bringing the teacher's attention back to himself. He had no idea _what_ might be said to the class if that thing became visible. Probably cracks about his taste in jewellery or something like that.

_Maybe I should just wait until I can talk to Koushirou about this._ He fingered the collar again, wincing as it seemed to grow a little heavier. _I wish I could figure this thing out on my own. It's about to drive me through the wall!_ Things like this had never been his strong suit, however. That was for people like Koushirou or Miyako. It did take all kinds, of course.

He peeked slightly towards the class clock and stifled a groan. They were barely half an hour into the lesson! How was he going to survive until the end of the day for the chance to get some answers? Maybe he'd be able to ambush Koushirou at lunchtime. That was only a couple of hours away, surely there'd be time! What was more important, eating lunch or saving a friend from a life probably a lot worse than slavery?

Daisuke stared down at the desk again, letting whatever the teacher was going on about wash right over him. He'd check with Takeru later and find out what it was. This was more important. He toyed with the collar again and again, trying to see if it did anything else besides annoy him. Now, however, it didn't seem to change at all. Not hotter, not colder, not heavier, not lighter. Weird.

_Well, **he** put it on me, and probably made it. Guess I shouldn't expect it to be normal._ He sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair. Some days it just didn't seem to pay to get out of bed.

"Motomiya." The teacher's voice fell on his ears, along with the sudden dead silence all around him. Daisuke wanted to close his eyes and pretend this wasn't happening all of a sudden. That hadn't helped with the collar, however, and he was growing to be of the opinion it wasn't going to help with much else. All right, time to face the music.

"Yeah, what is it?" He grinned as brightly as he was capable of, one hand coming up almost against his will to touch and caress the collar one more time. He glared briefly at the offending appendage; couldn't he leave that thing alone just _once_? Maybe that was one of the things it did, make him fiddle with it constantly.

"Detention, Motomiya. For an hour after school. Whatever it is you have around your neck, it can't possibly be more fascinating than classwork." Heavy in the teacher's voice was the implication that there just might be some confiscation of a certain collar. Daisuke wondered just what might happen if the teacher _did_ touch it.

Maybe it would be worth getting into more trouble to find out.

For right now, though, that wasn't an option. He drooped his head, looking as downcast as he could for getting yet another detention. He could feel the teacher's eyes on him for several more seconds, then the regular drone of lessons picked back up. Daisuke felt like jumping and yelling in delight. Yet another victory for the Patented Motomiya Brand of...well, he wasn't really sure what to call it, but it kept most of the teachers off his back so he didn't have to worry about them that much. Keeping the teacher from bugging him would have to do to keep him occupied until lunchtime.

In the peculiar way that time has in such things as long school days, dreams, and other such things, a few eyeblinks later it was lunchtime. Daisuke dodged away from the teacher's disapproving eye as fast as he could, heading for the lunchroom. _Glad I don't have to help serve today._ That gave him more time to hopefully talk to Koushirou.

The halls were so crowded with people Daisuke barely had room enough to breathe, much less move. But he was used to this, and he knew a shortcut or two. _Maybe I should've waited for Hikari and Takeru._ He glanced behind himself for a moment or two, but couldn't tell if they were anywhere near him or not. Well, those were just the breaks. He'd meet up with them in the lunchroom anyway.

As he squirmed his way past a group of older students, he noticed a door that was usually closed was open today. He'd never went through it, so he had no idea if it were an unused classroom or what. _That's weird. I wonder who did that._ As he passed by it, he glanced in curiously, expecting to see some teacher, or at best a student doing something in there, if anything at all. Maybe a couple of kids had decided to make out there.

Instead, his headlong rush came to a crashing halt, as he saw the Digimon Kaiser standing there. Tall, elegant, refined, clad impeccably in a suit that shouldn't have existed in this world but very obviously did, Ichijouji Ken stood, arms folded across his chest, eyes directed straight at Daisuke.

"Come here and shut the door." Perfect calm edged his voice, but Daisuke could no more help the fear that began to curdle his guts than he could help himself from walking forward, closing the door, and looking back at the Kaiser as if to be told what to do next. "What a good boy you are, my Daisuke."

"I'm not a _dog_." Daisuke clenched his fists, and thought about _not_ hitting that arrogant smirk just for a second. Two seconds later, he was swinging with all of his weight behind the blow, aiming directly for Ken's face.

Unfortunately, _three_ seconds later, Ken had spoken a single word, and Daisuke had dropped to his knees on the floor at the blue-haired boy's feet as if he'd done this every day of his life. He stared at the tiles, fury seething through every vessel and vein he possessed. That single word, _down_, spoken not even in tones of command, but as if Ken had been pointing out something that happened to be below them, that was what had done this.

"You may not be a dog, but you _are_ mine, and everything that is mine obeys me." Ken told him. Daisuke caught a glimpse of his shadow moving, and mentally winced; he knew what was coming. Indeed, Ken's fingers began to caress and slide through his hair possessively. Daisuke clenched his fingers into fists, doing his best to fight against the strange feelings surging through him with every pass of that hand. His mind wanted to drift away as it always had, but he wouldn't let it. He _couldn't_ let it.

Ken chuckled softly. "You do amuse me so." He lifted his hand gently and tapped the side of Daisuke's collar. "Do you understand anything about this yet? You've certainly been paying enough attention to it."

"It's just another Evil Ring!" Daisuke snapped, glaring up at his mortal enemy. "No matter how fancy it looks, that's all it is! Something to control someone else!"

"Partially." Ken looked almost as if he were proud of Daisuke for a moment. "But not entirely. You'll find out other things it does soon enough. I've been thinking about you." His lips thinned ever so gently. "I might wait a little to bring you to me permanently. The chance to toy with your former friends a little more is _so_ sweet, and since you seem to want to have that _lesser_ genius examine my handiwork..." He didn't finish the sentence, but there was no need. Daisuke understood perfectly. Ken wanted to see exactly how superior he was to Koushirou. For a moment he had a mental image of the two of them sitting across a table from each other, both dressed casually, talking about things that went _way_ over his head. _I need to get more sleep. That was just crazy._

Daisuke tried to get to his feet, but his entire body was locked in place. He settled for glaring angrily at Ken's ankles. "Are you going to let me up from here?"

"Maybe. When I'm ready." Ken paced around him in a large circle, and Daisuke had the uncomfortable feeling that more was going on here than he really wanted to know. Ken had _never_ expressed any kind of an interest in anyone else before. The closest he'd ever come to anything that looked vaguely like that, and Daisuke wasn't even going to think that was what he'd _meant_, was when they'd found out that the Digimon Kaiser and Ichijouji Ken were the same person. _Even then he just wanted to kill me, not kiss me. I guess people can change their minds, but I just don't know._ It didn't ring right to him. There was something _wrong_ going on here, something that reached far beyond what was visible.

He glared at the pacing ankles before they went out of his sight behind him. "Why are you doing this? What do you _want_?"

"I told you this game was over and I'm the victor." Ken paused directly behind him. Daisuke figured out in record time that being on his knees with Ken behind him was a _very_ uncomfortable position, for multiple reasons. "Every winner needs his trophy, Daisuke."

"I don't remember _that_ being on the sign-up sheet for this job."

"Keep that sense of humor." Ken began to walk around him again. "It'll amuse you when I don't want you around to amuse _me_."

Daisuke gulped; that _really_ didn't make him any more comfortable. "What do you mean, amuse you?" As long as Ken was talking, maybe he could get a few more answers out of him.

"That's rather obvious, I believe. Not that I expected anyone else to understand something as subtle as _my_ sense of humor." Ken stopped in front of him this time and snapped his fingers. "Get up, Daisuke. Our little conversation is finished for the moment."

Daisuke was on his feet almost before Ken had closed his mouth. "Would you stop _doing_ that to me? I hate being yanked around like a puppet!"

"Get used to it. You move to _my_ tune now, and I'm a very stern dance master." Ken laid his hands on Daisuke's shoulders and stared into his eyes. The other was quite uncomfortably reminded of when they'd been in the fortress together, and tried to inch a little away. Ken's hands kept him right where he was, however. "If anyone asks about what delayed you, you won't tell them I was here." He paused for a moment, then nodded briefly. "In fact, I think it's better if you don't even _remember_ that I was here."

Daisuke was swiftly making out a mental list of things that were too impossible to be believed. Every word that came out of Ken's mouth in the last twenty-four hours pretty much ranked at the top of the list. "So how do you intend on making me _not_ remember?"

Ken's smile contained nothing of joy and everything of pure, raw, unadulterated _smugness_. Daisuke would've sold his old goggles for the chance to knock it off his face without getting pushed down onto his knees. _Whatever happened to those anyway?_ Daisuke shook himself mentally; there were a whole lot of other things that were worth thinking about right now! Then again, maybe _they_ were how Ken so easily manipulated him. He remembered a fantasy novel Mimi had told him about, where the evil wizards had used items that belonged to some people in order to control them. Maybe that was what was going on here and now.

"You'll see. Not that you'll remember _that_ either, but you'll see." Ken leaned closer, whispering something into his ear. Daisuke tried to hold onto the words, but they went through his mind like wind, leaving only the most vague of impressions behind. Ken's petting hadn't made him feel even _this_ light-headed. He was somewhat aware of eating something that tasted familiar, but he had no idea just what it was. It was soup of some kind, that was all he could be certain of. "I'll see you again, Daisuke. Have those little meetings with those idiots. Let yourself hope. It amuses me. Now, I think it's time for you to go."

There was a sensation as of something passing through Daisuke's hair, and he blinked. Had there been someone in here? A quick look around revealed just the usual clutter of a classroom, nothing unusual at all. He ran his hand over his head, adjusting the goggles that seem to have gotten knocked a little off-center somehow. "That was weird. I better get to lunch before I pass out or something. I think I was seeing things."

He hurried out of the room, closing the door behind himself, and headed for the lunchroom. The halls were clearer than he remembered them being, and he stopped quickly to look at the time. _Whoa! That's weird._ It was still lunchtime, but not for much longer. _The last I remember, lunch break had just started. Where'd the time go? Was I just standing there all this time?_

"Daisuke!" He looked up to see Hikari and Iori waving at him from the door of the lunchroom. "Come on, you're going to miss lunch! What kept you?"

"I don't know, Hikari." Daisuke ran over to them, wiping at his mouth absently. He glanced at his fingers and frowned; had he been walking around all morning with whatever this crusty mess was on his face? Why hadn't someone said something to him? "It was really weird, one second I was going through the hall, the next, I was just standing in this empty classroom. I lost a whole fifteen minutes, I think."

Iori frowned briefly, his usually expressionless face creasing lightly. "That's not normal. Have you been feeling strange at all lately?"

"I think we're going to have to redefine 'strange', Iori. I've been feeling weird since before I got up. But I don't think I'm sick." That sounded about as silly as anything he'd ever said. "I just lost a little time." Well, maybe that was sillier.

Hikari tugged on his sleeve some. "Come on, Koushirou's waiting to see this collar of yours. He's really fascinated by it." She laughed brightly. "I think he really wants a chance to see what it does when _he_ touches it."

That reminded him of something else. "How's Miyako doing, anyway? Those burns weren't too bad, were they?"

"Not really. She'll be fine in a couple of days. I just hope that thing doesn't burn anyone else." Hikari shivered, taking a quick look at his neck. She didn't reach for it, though, and he didn't expect her to. Some lessons really _were_ burned in.

He could hear the others talking as they got closer to the table, and blinked. That wasn't really what he'd expected to hear, not from them.

"I hate saying it, but it might be true. It's something we should think about, anyway." Takeru's words came clear first. He was staring down at what was leftover on his tray, very much not liking whatever it was that he was talking about.

Miyako shook her head, violet hair flying. "I don't want to think about it either. I mean, this is our _friend_! It's nothing he can help, even if it's true! People just don't change like that, even with something like _this_! It's not his fault."

"We won't know either way until I can examine the collar." Koushirou's slightly more reasonable tones intervened. "But you should all make some kind of preparations, I think." He paused for a moment, forehead wrinkled in thought. "Perhaps we all should. This could happen to any of us, logically."

Takeru sighed, burying his head in his hands. "I just don't know. _Can_ we trust Daisuke right now? The Kaiser's got that thing on him, and for all we know it works just like one of those blasted Evil Rings. He could turn on us when we least expect it. Can we _trust_ him?"

Daisuke pulled a chair out and sat down, not looking at any of them. Takeru stared at him, words frozen on his lips and shock in his blue eyes. "Daisuke..."

"No, it's all right." Daisuke watched as Iori and Hikari sat down in the chairs they'd vacated to go find him. "I heard what you were saying."

"I didn't mean it _badly_." Takeru told him, fidgeting as nervously as Daisuke had ever seen him before. "I just don't know. This hasn't ever happened before."

The goggle-wearer nodded, feeling a little detached somehow. "Takeru, it's _okay_." He looked around at all of them. Hikari and Iori both looked worried. Miyako was even more nervous than Takeru. Koushirou was simply watching calmly. "I don't think you _should_ trust me. I really don't."


	5. The Voices Within

_**Legal Disclaimer:** All characters within are the legal property of Toei Entertainment, or were inspired by such. This is done only for amusement.  
**Series Title:** Fade In, Fade Out  
**Chapter Title:** The Voices Within  
**Romance:** Ken/Daisuke  
**Rated:** T_

No one said a word for several moments. All of them were too busy simply staring at Daisuke, trying to take in what he'd just said. It was Takeru who broke the silence. "Don't be stupid. We do trust _you_. It's what the Kaiser might make you do that we don't trust."

Daisuke's eyes shot quickly over the blond, warming at the friendship and the concern implied in the words. "I guess you're right." He reached up lightly to touch the collar, feeling as if he'd done that a thousand times since that morning. The familiarity was comforting and disturbing at the same time. "So what now?"

"Now I take a look at that thing and see what I can figure out about it." Koushirou said, moving closer to him, his laptop on the table in front of him. "Would you prefer going somewhere a little more private?" The redhead looked around briefly, indicating the crowded lunchroom. "This might be a bit more than they're ready to handle."

Daisuke nodded quickly, standing up almost as quickly as he'd sat down in the first place. Making a spectacle of yourself was one thing. Being dumb enough to accidentally betray the existence of the Digital world was something else altogether.

"How about we go to the computer room?" Miyako suggested, clearing off the remains of what they'd had quickly and dumped them into the nearest trashcan. "We should have some privacy there." Hardly anyone used it around this time of day, anyway, except for them.

As they headed down the corridor together, Daisuke found his gaze slightly drawn to the room he'd caught himself staring at earlier. He knew there hadn't been anyone in there, but at the same time, he shivered just at the sight of the place. _Maybe I had a nightmare about that place or something?_ It would make as much sense as everything else that had been going on since the previous night. Which meant it made none at all, really.

That almost made him stop and think. It really _had_ only been a few hours, not even a full day and night, since he'd first opened his eyes in the Kaiser's throne room and this whole nightmare merry go round had gotten started. How swiftly his life had flipped around boggled him.

"All right, sit down, please," Koushirou motioned Daisuke to a chair as they filed into the computer room. As the door closed behind them, Chibimon, Poromon, Upamon, Tailmon, and Patamon all began to peek carefully out of their hiding places to see what was going on. Chibimon crawled his way into Daisuke's lap and peered up at him.

"What's going on, Daisuke?" The tiny lump of blue digital flesh wondered. Daisuke petted him lightly, pushing the faint memory of Ken doing the same thing to him out of his mind. This was because he _liked_ his partner, not because of...whatever reason it was that Ken was doing it.

"Koushirou's just doing something to help me with whatever the Kaiser's been doing," Daisuke reassured him. "It's nothing to worry about."

Chibimon turned his ruby gaze onto the older Chosen then. "_Can_ you help Daisuke?"

"That's what we're going to find out, Chibimon." Koushirou opened his laptop and started to tap at various buttons. "This shouldn't take very long." There was a kind of smug certainty about him that sent Daisuke's fingers curling into fists briefly. This kid wasn't that much older than _he_ was, how could anyone have that kind of confidence?

_Who isn't you or Ken?_ Something seemed almost to whisper in his mind, and he mentally jerked back. He wasn't like that, was he? Sure, he didn't doubt that he could do anything he really put his mind to, but that wasn't the same thing! Not at _all_! He didn't even bother qualifying why he'd thought of Ken in the same sentence.

Reassured on that level, he started to pay a little more attention to what the other redhead was doing. Koushirou muttered softly to himself as he watched some kind of bar growing across his screen. Daisuke wasn't the biggest fan of computers, but he was pretty sure that meant something. It usually did in the movies, anyway.

"It's ready." Koushirou said as he turned his laptop to face Daisuke and held it up to just about neck level. "Just hold still. You won't feel a thing."

"I've heard _that_ before." Daisuke muttered. "Usually right before some nurse sticks a needle in my butt."

He was almost certain he heard the laptop _humming_ as it did whatever it did. The skin underneath the collar seemed to prickle a little, slowly growing colder and colder. "Um, Koushirou, I don't think this thing likes whatever it is you're doing."

"It's not animate, Daisuke, it can't like or dislike anything. It just does whatever it does." Koushirou replied absently, staring at the screen in fascination. "This is remarkable. Absolutely remarkable."

Miyako stamped her foot imperially, brown eyes flashing. "So what's so great about it? What the heck _is_ that thing?" Daisuke recognized her 'I want to know what's going on right now and if you don't tell me you are going to be in serious trouble' mode. This was getting creepy.

Daisuke stared at the laptop, then clenched his fists around Chibimon a little harder. "Koushirou...that _really_ doesn't feel so..." There was some kind of pulse pulsating at the collar, then a wave of intense cold blasted outward. Daisuke had time to see Koushirou's laptop falling to the floor before complete darkness enveloped him completely.

But it wasn't quite as complete as all that. There was something there. Some kind of a _presence_. There was no other way he could think of to describe it. Presence, awareness, _person_. No, not a person.

Two people. Two voices he could hear as if from a very long way off. He tried to listen, to figure out what it was they were saying, and slowly the sounds became a little clearer. He still couldn't _see_ anything, but it was better than nothing.

_--thing to do?" Curiosity, and something that sounded a great deal like worry, tinged this voice. It sounded somewhat like a girl's voice. _

_"Of course it's right!" Arrogance. Not quite like the Kaiser's, but somehow stronger, more intense, if that were possible, and in the same masculine type of tones. "What else **would** it be? Even if it wasn't, which it is, this is the only thing I **can** do!" _

_A quiet sigh from the other person. "I just don't think you're going about this the right way. It's not like **he** didn't try something like this once before, and it blew up in his face. Badly." _

_"This is different. I'm not going to fail. I know exactly what I'm doing. I know where he went wrong, and I won't make those kinds of mistakes." _

_"He thought that too." _

_Whoever they were speaking to let loose with a furious growl. "Don't **ever** compare me to that failure! I'm a thousand times the mind he could have ever dreamed of being!"_

"Daisuke...Daisuke!" Dark brown eyes opened up, and Daisuke saw Chibimon standing on his chest, stamping with his little feet with every repeating of his partner's name. "Daisuke! Wake up!"

"I'm awake!"

Koushirou loomed over him as soon as he spoke, and Daisuke realized just then that he was laying flat out on the floor of the computer room. "Daisuke? How are you feeling?"

"Fine, fine..." That was Daisuke's immediate response to anything, and it was usually true. He couldn't recall having felt anything _but_ for ages. _No, there was that one time when we fought that SeaDramon brigade._ He vaguely recalled having been pulled underwater, and seeing a pair of heads swimming out towards him as swiftly as they could. One brilliant blond, that had been Yamato, the other...blue? Yeah, it had been blue. Jyou? No, that didn't quite seem right. But who else could it have been?

He sat up slowly, edging Chibimon to his lap, and frowned, the half-formed memory flickering away as swiftly as it had come. "What happened? I remember Koushirou was checking out the collar, and then..." His hand reached up as if of it's own will to touch the silver band around his neck. Relief of some kind flooded through him as he realized it was still there, and didn't appear to be harmed. He tried not to think about what that might mean, shoving it into the same category as the voices that had echoed in his mind before he had opened his eyes.

"I wish I _knew_ what happened." Koushirou shook his head, patting the laptop that was now beside him. "I just managed not to lose everything. Some sort of pulse came from that thing and knocked you out, and made me drop the laptop."

He touched the laptop once again. "But I did find out one thing about the collar. Not what I really _wanted_ to, which would be how we can get it off of you when none of us seem to be able to touch it, but still, it's something we didn't know before."

"What is it?" Daisuke fingered the collar again, settling it a little more comfortably around his neck. _Maybe he found out something about the voices?_ No, that wasn't possible. The laptop was good, but it couldn't read minds. Could it?

"The collar is made of essentially the same digital matter that the Kaiser's Evil Rings and Spirals are made of. It most likely has most of their same functions as well."

No one said anything for a few moments, then Iori shook his head. "I thought we'd already come to that kind of conclusion when we first told you about it."

"Yes, but that was just a guess. Now we _know_. Or are on the way to knowing, to be more accurate. It _can_ have those functions, as it's made from what they are. Not to mention, that this is _digital_ matter. It shouldn't be able to express itself in our world. Our Digimon are different. They're connected to us, and have a life of their own beyond us. But this is non-sentient matter. Something else altogether, and it _should not_ be happening."

Daisuke ignored most of that. Ken could do things like that if he tried, he was certain of it. Besides, the fact the collar was there at all proved rather handily that it _could_ exist in their world. He trailed his fingers across the collar again, then yanked them away as hard as he could, closing his hands gently around Chibimon. "It does have the same abilities that the rings and spirals do." He spoke without even thinking. "But that's not all it can do."

"Really?" Koushirou turned to him, fascination in his black eyes. "How do you know? And why didn't you say anything before?"

"I..." Daisuke blinked several times, trying to clear his mind. "I don't know." For a heartbeat or two, he thought he was kneeling somewhere, with Ken standing in front of him, that arrogant smirk twisting his usually calm and fair features, and heard his smug voice telling him, _Partially. But not entirely. You'll find out other things it does soon enough._

Then, as if a sponge had wiped it away, the mental image and voice were both gone. Daisuke blinked again, then looked up at the others. "All right, if that's all, I think we need to get on into the Digital World. I don't care what the Kaiser's trying to do, we've got dark towers that need to be destroyed."

"Daisuke, I'm not certain it's such a good idea for you to be going there as long as you have that on." Koushirou looked at him, concern in his eyes. "You know why."

Daisuke met Koushirou's eyes firmly. "I know. But I'm going anyway. I'm not going to let _anyone_ stop me from doing what I'm supposed to be doing. Not even the Kaiser." He touched the collar firmly, a faint prickle surging through his fingers as he did. "Or this."

Without another word, he turned on the computer and pulled out his D-3. Chibimon scampered up to sit firmly on his shoulder as he pulled up the gate program. "Digital Gate, open!"

As Daisuke and Chibimon were downloaded, for a heartbeat or two he thought he heard those same voices from before, flickering through his mind again. There was nothing he could hear clearly, no matter how hard he tried, and before he could even try for more than an instant, he stood outside of one of the TVs. The brilliant blue Digital World sky spread out over him, and the usual weird vegetation echoed the spread around him.

"Daisuke?" He looked down to see V-mon looking around, confusion written all over his face. "Where are the others? They should be here by now, shouldn't they?"

"I dunno." Daisuke turned to look at the TV and dropped to his knees beside it. He tapped it lightly with one finger, trying to get a picture to come up. "Hey, guys, what's the hold up?"

"Daisuke!" For a moment he saw the computer room, with Koushirou seated at the desk as he usually was, then the screen rippled, a flicker of snow filling the screen. When it cleared, the Kaiser's face was looking calmly back at him.

"Welcome back to _our_ world, Daisuke. Did you enjoy your little foray into faux freedom?"

Daisuke had no idea how he managed to keep himself from punching a whole right through the TV screen. The fact it probably would've shattered his hand more than likely helped, but he couldn't swear to it. "What are you talking about?" Ken's cryptic comments were enough to send someone over the edge.

"Now, Daisuke, there's no need to get caught up in mundane trivia. If I somehow failed to inform you, _I_ will let you know what you need to know."

Somewhere, somehow, Daisuke was quite certain that _someone_ was laughing at him because of this. Whatever Ken was going on about, only Ken knew, and he apparently got quite the thrill from yanking Daisuke around with things like this. "So what is it you _think_ I need to know?" He sneered as much as he could, careless of what the consequences might be. "Who my 'master' is?"

"Oh, I'm quite certain you already know that, and that's why you're on your knees before me." The smirk was so full of smugness that Daisuke seriously reconsidered punching the screen out. Instead, he just leaped to his feet and glared down at the TV hotly.

"Get on with it! I'm getting bored here. What did you do with the others?"

Ken didn't seem to be disturbed at all by Daisuke's temper. Indeed, he mostly seemed to be amused. It reminded the goggle-wearer most strongly of their first meeting on the cliffs. Ken had been so smug, so confident, so completely contemptuous of them all.

_I liked him a lot more when he wasn't like that._ The random thought flickered through his mind, and Daisuke shook his head, trying to clear it. What was with him all of a sudden? He couldn't keep thinking things like this. He did _not_ like the Kaiser, not at _all_!

"Very well. It's simple. I was able to alter where your Gate and theirs opened. Your friends are indeed somewhere in the Digital World. As am I. As are you. If you want to find them, you'll have to look for them. But I'll be looking for you at the same time."

Daisuke rolled his eyes; couldn't Ken come up with something original, just this once? "Let me guess, if I find them first, I can go free. But if you find me, then I have to stay with you."

The Kaiser's laugh was almost pleasant. "No, no, no, Daisuke. You're going to stay with me no matter what. You have no _choice_ in that." The collar pulsed warmly suddenly, and Daisuke had the strangest feeling he was back in the Kaiser's throne room, seated beside Ken, with a strong hand going through his hair over and over again. "But what will happen is this. If you find them first, I'll let you all go home...today...without a fight. If _I_ find them first, then you'll all play a game of _my_ choosing."

"What kind of game?"

"Would it be any fun if I told you ahead of time?" Ken's lips curved gently into a not-smile. "I rather like the idea of you worrying about it and not being able to tell them anything."

Daisuke's hand fell at once to his D-Terminal. "What makes you think I _can't_ tell them anything? You can't keep us apart!"

"Go right ahead." That irritating confidence surged up one more time, and Daisuke began to wonder if _he_ appeared like this to some people, so convinced he was right that he was infuriating. No, they'd say something about it to him. "You have until the sun goes down, in which case the win automatically defaults to me."

Brown eyes narrowed suddenly. "So what happens if _you_ find _me_ in this thing? Or if I find you?"

"That, my Daisuke, you will see _when_ it happens." The scene on the TV blinked out at once, and then the small device exploded, sending both V-mon and Daisuke skipping back from it.

"Whoa, he's got a real hot temper, doesn't he?" V-mon cracked, leaning forward a little to examine the smoking remains. "So, what are we going to do, Daisuke?"

The young Chosen worried at his lip for a few moments, then sighed. "I don't think there's anything we can do but play his game, V-mon. If we just sit around, he's going to claim he won when the sun goes down anyway. At least if we try, we might be able to find them before he does, and get out of here. And maybe we can blow up a few spires while we're at it, so it won't be a _totally_ wasted trip."

He fingered the collar again absently. How had Ken managed to twist where he'd landed, and where the others had arrived? Was this one of the other things the collar could do? It sounded vaguely reasonable to him, since it hadn't ever happened until he'd been bound by the glistening thing. _He didn't even say anything about it._ That seemed a little wrong, but there was nothing he could put his finger on that made it wrong just yet.

"I don't like the Kaiser's games, Daisuke. They usually wind up with you getting hurt. But if you think that's what's right." There was a nervous twinge to V-mon's voice that betrayed his dislike with the whole situation, and Daisuke couldn't argue with him on that. Then something else seemed to occur to his partner.

"Aren't you going to try and get them on your D-Terminal?" V-mon tugged at his pants leg a little when there was no immediate answer, and Daisuke remembered what was going on around him. This sort of drifting off really wasn't like him. He tugged the device out of his jacket and typed up the message as quickly as he could, hoping he didn't mis-spell anything. Touch typing still wasn't his forte, even after all the practice he'd had doing it running from things wanting to eat him.

He waited a few minutes once hitting 'send', then a grin broke over his face as the beep for a returned message sounded. _Ha! Ken's not as smart as he thinks he is._ He quickly opened it up, then just as quickly groaned.

_I told you that you wouldn't be able to contact them, Daisuke. Now stop lazing around and get on the game-trail. Every moment counts, you know. _

_Ken_

Daisuke slammed the D-Terminal shut and stared out at the terrain surrounding them. "We still have a few hours until sunset. I don't think Ken would've put them too far away. I think we can do this."

"What makes you think he wouldn't do that?" V-mon wondered as they started to walk. "Wouldn't he want to make this really hard for us, so he can win?"

"I don't think so." Daisuke had no idea where he was getting his information. He just _knew_ it was right. This was what Ken would do. Of course that was counterbalanced by the fact Ken _hadn't_ ever done anything like this whole situation in the first place. Just putting up towers and having them be torn down had always been the extent of the game before. Maybe he'd gotten bored, though. He _was_ only human, after all. "He wants it to be a challenge, but if we don't have a chance of winning, it's not a real game."

He stopped as they came to a clearing and looked down at his partner. "There's no need for us to walk all the way through this. Come on, the faster we can find them, the faster we go home, and I don't remember Ken saying _anything_ about you not armor evolving in this game." He pulled out his D-3 and one flash of light later, the sleek Armor Digimon of Friendship was coursing through the terrain, Daisuke firmly attached to his back.

_I hope we **can** find the others._ He was convinced his reasoning on Ken was right, but that one small deviance kept on nagging at him. There was _something_ wrong with the way Ken had been acting all this time, and he couldn't pin it down. _I have to figure this out._ There was something achingly important about it.

He clenched carefully at Lighdramon's armor, dodging and weaving to avoid being hit by random tree branches. A few moments later, the trees began to thin out and soon another clearing spilled out ahead of them. Daisuke could feel his partner's muscles bunching and reaching out underneath him, starting to gain a little speed. They _were_ going to do this! They _were_ going to win, somehow! The fact their friends could be virtually anywhere in the Digital World meant absolutely nothing.

"Uh oh." Lighdramon pulled to a stop and turned slightly. Daisuke had no idea what the problem was at first, then he saw it. It was a slender, elegant dark tower, standing a short distance away from them. They had a clear view of it, and encircling the tower's base was a small group of Digimon, obviously waiting for them. He counted at least half a dozen of them, shivering slightly as he got a good enough look at just what kind of Digimon they were.

_For a second there, I thought he'd cloned Gabumon somehow!_ The Digimon that stood in a row there were almost identical to the other Chosen Digimon of Friendship. What made these different was their coloring, more than just about anything else. Where Gabumon's stomach was blue with red markings, these things had green stomachs with darker green markings. Where his skin was yellow, theirs was a not very attractive shade of pink, and their fur covering was much paler and whiter than his was. The brilliant gold of his horn was not shared by them. Instead, they had much darker coloring there, almost grayish black.

One other thing made them different from Gabumon: around each leg was firmly set one of the Kaiser's rings.

"I don't think they're just going to let us go on by. I think they're called Psychemon, by the way. They're Data types, and they're usually pretty peaceful. But I don't think that means they are right now." Lighdramon eyed them warily, ready to unleash an attack whenever it seemed necessary. "They look like they're looking at us, anyway."

"No kidding." Daisuke flexed his hands a little, feeling the collar almost quivering around his neck. Was it going to have some other kind of reaction to being near other creatures wearing the Kaiser's band now? The possibilities of that joined the every growing list of things he just didn't want to think about. "Guess we're going to have to break those things and bring that tower down before we keep moving."

Lighdramon waited for nothing more than that as he surged towards the Psychemon. "_Blue Thunder_!" He blasted the attack at the first of them in line, moving on swiftly to the next without waiting to see what effect it had. Daisuke caught sight of the ring cracking and falling off into dust, and grinned. This wasn't going to be so hard after all!

A few more passes, and not only had all the Psychemon been freed, but a powerful blast by Lighdramon had the tower in ruins. Daisuke patted his partner's shoulder happily. "That was awesome, Lighdramon! You're the best!"

"I bet you say that to all the Digimon." The armored Digimon almost seemed to be blushing! "Now what do we do?"

One of the Psychemon answered that as he stepped closer to them, bowing a little. "Thank you for freeing us from the Kaiser. If there's ever anything we can do as repayment, please let us know."

"We're looking for the other Chosen right now. The Kaiser is playing one of his usual sick games with us, and we have to find them as fast as possible." Daisuke hoped they didn't see the collar. While they were under the Kaiser's control they might not have minded, but now, he preferred not to take _that_ kind of chance. "Have you seen them anywhere?"

"Unfortunately, no. But if we see them, we'll--"

"You won't do anything." The Kaiser's voice cut through the conversation coldly. "And unless you want to be wearing the very latest in fashion where my spirals are concerned, you'll all clear out of here. Now."

Daisuke couldn't blame the Psychemon for vanishing as swiftly as they could into the underbrush. He wouldn't have been surprised if he'd done the same thing, if he could. Since that wasn't possible, he just glared above to where Ken was hovering on an AirDramon, Wormmon curled up at his feet as was usual. "What are you doing here?"

"Just checking on you." The icy voice was a trifle warmer now, but it did nothing to soothe Daisuke's irritation. "You're being slowed down quite a bit by tending to this kind of thing, you know. Your friends could be close and you wouldn't know it because you're too busy blowing up my property."

"Very funny." Daisuke was not in the mood right now. "What do you _really_ want, Ken?"

"Nothing at all, except for the game to continue." He leaped down to stand before Daisuke, all graceful flowing cloak and arrogant tilt to his head. "Even though you're so far behind it's impossible for you to win even if I _let_ you."

"Only because you won't let me contact them so I know where they are! What kind of a sick game is this?"

Ken reached out and placed one gloved finger underneath Daisuke's mouth, shutting it firmly. "Enough. I suppose I _should_ be a little more sporting. I'll give you one clue to where they are, but you have to give me something else in return."

Daisuke couldn't speak with Ken still holding him firm and silent, but his furious cinnamon-tinged gaze was all that he really needed. Ken chuckled softly, then murmured what he wanted, the words floating across the brief distance between them gently. Daisuke shivered visibly, and Ken simply waited for his answer, dropping his hold on Daisuke's chin.

"You have got to be kidding!" Daisuke gasped, shaking his head and gripping Lighdramon even more closely. "You want me to _kiss_ you?"


	6. The Kaiser's Games

_**Legal Disclaimer:** All characters within are the legal property of Toei Entertainment, or were inspired by such. This is done only for amusement.  
**Series Title:** Fade In, Fade Out  
**Chapter Title:** The Kaiser's Games  
**Romance:** Ken/Daisuke  
**Rated:** T_

"There's no need to shout. I _am_ standing right in front of you." Ken's lips moved almost hypnotically. Daisuke couldn't take his eyes off of them. It was probably the collar's work again, he decided. Stupid thing. Stupid Ken.

"I'm not blind. I saw that." He didn't care if the Kaiser tried to put some kind of a punishment on him for that. The thought of their lips touching was revolting enough! "I just think you're crazy!"

Ken's chuckle was soft and amused, almost pleasant to hear, in fact. Daisuke's stomach churned; he was not supposed to be thinking things like that about his _enemy_! Flashes of memory went through his mind, images in sharp relief of himself staring into those amazing violet eyes.

_Doesn't matter! He's holding my friends hostage so I'll do this, and he's got this damned collar on me, and I don't care how good looking he is, he's a pain in the ass, and I am **not** going to do this!_ His eyes flicked down to Lighdramon, and he started to open his mouth, reaching for his D-Terminal at the same time. Fladramon could teach the Kaiser a very _hot_ lesson in how to keep his hands to himself.

"Really, Daisuke, you have to learn better. Stop that at once." Daisuke could've strangled the Kaiser for that lazy tone of voice alone. It didn't help matters that as soon as the words reached his ears, he _did_ stop what he was doing. He knew just how stupid he had to look with one hand frozen halfway to his jacket, and his mouth partly open. It was Ken's fault completely.

The Kaiser stepped one step closer, reaching out to cup Daisuke's chin in his hand and lifting his head just a little. Daisuke was starting to get very tired of all the physical contact Ken seemed to be so eager to indulge in lately. "The sooner you learn and _follow_ the rules, the better."

"And just what are these _rules_?" Daisuke grated the words out, staring defiantly into his enemy's face. It was much better when Ken wore the concealing glasses. Daisuke didn't risk getting distracted by those amused eyes.

"They're very simple, Daisuke. Even you can follow them, once you stop trying so hard not to, just because _I'm_ the one making them." Ken's hand hadn't left Daisuke's chin, and the intensity of his gaze was creeping even past his shades. It brought up memories of confusion and mystery that the goggle-wearing boy didn't like at all. There was something so completely _wrong_ about all of this. Ken had never done anything remotely like this. Why was he now? Why had he changed?

Daisuke did his best to yank himself away, only to have Ken's grip tighten more firmly. "That's not a rule." It was't easy to talk like this, but Daisuke managed it. He did have some pretty decent incentive, after all.

"If you want to be specific, very well. The rules are this: I run everything. You do as you're told. You'll be well rewarded." Ken's lips curved briefly. "Now, we're wasting time. I believe I wanted something from you. Are you going to give it to me or do I have to take it?" There was the briefest of pauses before he spoke again. "Though I suppose I should warn you that if I _take_ what I want, you won't get what _you_ want: that nice little clue to where your friends are."

Daisuke clenched his fists hard, feeling his nails digging into his palms even through the gloves. Why was Ken _doing_ this? He wanted to shout that question into the other's face, to hopefully get some kind of answer that would make sense, but he didn't. As much as it annoyed him, trying to yell answers out of Ken wouldn't do much besides get you a superior smirk. _I'll have to think of some other way._ Cunning wasn't his strong suit, but this was a special situation.

In more ways than one, he had to admit to himself. Which meant he was going to have to do something that would probably give him nightmares for the rest of his life. "All right. I'll...kiss you." His stomach went from just churning to doing flip-flops and threatening to bring up anything at all possible for a return appearance. The last thing he could ever remember wanting was for his first kiss _ever_ to be from the Digimon Kaiser!

"Good boy. You're learning fast." Ken did nothing to bring Daisuke closer, and the other growled mentally as he leaned forward. The Kaiser was quite obviously making Daisuke do this to himself, not letting him claim more than the slightest bit of persuasion. He brushed his lips lightly across Ken's, ignoring the shiver that went all through him at the contact, then pulled back as swiftly as he could, raising one hand to wipe at his lips.

"Don't do that."

Ken's order stopped him once again, and he reached for the collar instead, yanking at it half-heartedly for a few seconds. What a rotten day this was turning out to be.

"Well, I gave you the kiss. So tell me where they are!" Daisuke half-shouted, as Ken made no move to say anything else. What else was he going to have to do to get some clues around here?

"That wasn't exactly the best effort you could've made." Ken looked on him disapprovingly. "You once knelt down and _begged_ for their lives at my command, Daisuke. Surely kissing me can't be that much harder."

"You'd be surprised."

Ken chuckled softly, then leaped casually back onto his waiting AirDramon. "A bad kiss gets only a bad clue. If you really want to find them, the easiest way is to give up looking for them."

"You call that a _clue_?" Daisuke could feel Lighdramon growling underneath his fingers as the Digimon of Friendship spoke up for the first time. His partner was getting as upset over this as he was. "Daisuke did what you wanted, and that's all you're going to tell him?"

The Kaiser looked down his nose at the four-legged warrior. "I could tell him so much _less_ if I were inclined. This doesn't really concern you, Digimon, so I'd stay out of things. Daisuke's collar might not affect _you_, but **_this_** would." For a moment, a glistening spiral appeared at his fingertips. "And there wouldn't be anything that either of you could do to stop me from putting it on you either. Remember that."

Both of them stared up as the AirDramon turned and swept out of sight. Daisuke sighed, leaning flat against his partner for a few scant moments. Lighdramon wasn't exactly built for comfort, but he did his best to nuzzle the human on his back. "We'll find them, Daisuke."

"I know, buddy. I know what his clue meant, too. I'm just not going to listen to it." Daisuke leaned back, adjusting his grip. "If I stop looking for them and go to him, he'll have them prisoner, and we'll have to play whatever mind game he's got in mind." He doubted they'd have a chance of winning that one fairly, too. Ken made a pretence at fair play, but only when he'd already stacked the deck in his own favor.

He checked the position of the sun and winced. He wasn't the best at telling time by it, but it was easy to see that sundown wasn't all that far off. Maybe an hour, if that much. Two if he was really, really lucky. Unfortunately, luck seemed to be in fairly short supply these last couple of days.

"Let's get going, Lighdramon. The sooner we find them, the better."

The armoured Digimon leaped forward, coursing across the landscape as swiftly as he could move. Daisuke clung to him, trying once more not to think of so much. Just the day before everything had seemed so _normal_. Everything was just the way it should be. His friends had been where they should be. He'd been with them. He hadn't had this collar on himself. Ken had been his friend, not this twisted monster again. They'd been planning some kind of picnic or something, since Takeru's birthday was coming up in just a couple of weeks.

_Wait, hold the phone!_ Daisuke stopped in his mental tracks. Ken had been his _friend_? Not a twisted monster _again_? When had _that_ happened? When had Ken _stopped_ being a monster? And Takeru's birthday wasn't until _March_. It was early June now. Wasn't it? Shivers of fear trickled all through him.

"Lighdramon, this is going to be a really weird question, but...what day is it?"

His partner peered over his shoulder at him. "It's June 7th, what other day should it be?" Lighdramon sounded worried, and Daisuke couldn't blame him. He was already worried about himself.

"No. You're right. I was just curious." He didn't like lying to his friend, but would anyone _believe_ what he'd just been thinking? He was quite certain he didn't believe it himself. He shifted a little more as Lighdramon raced onward. _Only thing that makes sense is that Ken's messing with my head again. He wants me to **think** we're friends, so I won't fight him._ Of course that didn't explain why he'd been thinking about Takeru's birthday. It was probably just some other part of Ken's scheme. The best thing to do was just to ignore it. He was getting _really_ good at that.

As fast as Lighdramon could go, he didn't seem to be going fast enough as the miles flew by under his feet, and the sun inched closer and closer to the horizon. Every time Daisuke looked to the west, it seemed to be later faster. _There's **got** to be a way to find them! Taichi always said **he** could find the others when they were separated in their day, so I can too!_

He threw himself back in his seat suddenly. "Lighdramon, _stop_! We're going about this the wrong way! I know how to find the others!" He scrabbled for his D-3 before Lighdramon had even started to slow down. "_This_ can find them! Or their D-3s!" Daisuke was never going to tell anyone how long it had taken him to figure this out. Ken had probably been counting on him _not_ doing it, too. Well, he'd show him! Even if it was about twenty minutes to sunset already.

_Funny, I thought I had more time than that. Guess time flies when you're hunting for your friends, or something._

"Well, where are they?" Lighdramon craned his head over his shoulders as he attempted to see what was going on. Daisuke stared down at the D-3, working at the buttons until what he wanted came up.

Four small dots appeared on the map, with a fifth looking as if it weren't all that far from Daisuke's own location. He stared at it for a few moments, then groaned. It was plain as day what _that_ meant.

"I know you're there, Ken. You might as well stop staring at me and come out." He felt incredibly stupid for even saying something like that. What if it were someone else, like one of the older Chosen or something like that? Or even someone like Micheal? Though he couldn't think of any reason that they'd be wandering around here, especially almost in sight of him, and _not_ say something.

The silence stretched on, and Daisuke turned in the direction he saw the other D-3 dot. "I said come on out and stop watching me! What am I, the only good entertainment you can find?"

"Not at all. In fact, that's exactly what I plan to arrange, now that you've lost and I've won." The bushes parted as the Kaiser stepped through them, looking as cool and regal as he always did. Daisuke wondered if it were even possible to fluster this imperial pain in the neck. It might be worth a lot to find out.

Then just what he'd heard registered in his mind. "You haven't won yet! I still have until sundown, and I know where they are now!" He waved his D-3 in the most threatening manner he possibly could at the Kaiser. "And that counts as _finding_ them!"

"Oh, Daisuke." Ken shook his head as if he were genuinely disappointed in his plaything. "You do remember who runs things here, don't you? _I_ decide what constitutes as finding them. And seeing a few stray dots isn't even close." He pointed briefly behind the both of them, and Daisuke winced to see the crimson rays of the setting sun. "I win."

Daisuke glared at the sun, then yanked his gaze over to the Kaiser. "Well, you don't have to sound so smug about it!"

"I'm simply celebrating a properly won victory." He snapped his fingers imperiously, pointing to his side. Daisuke's collar seemed to understand what he meant even though he didn't, as he found himself standing where the Kaiser had pointed.

"What do you mean, properly won? You made sure I couldn't find them!"

The Kaiser tapped Daisuke's D-3 meaningfully. "You could've looked at that at _any_ time and been able to locate them. As a matter of fact, I do believe one of them came up with the same idea to find _you_ shortly after they arrived here. I don't believe you can blame me if you didn't think fast enough. That's your own trouble. Let someone who is used to it think, Daisuke, and you'll be much better off."

"I suppose you expect to think for me?" Daisuke flared angrily. Ken's smile was even more beatific.

"You were the one who said it, not I. Now, have your little nuisance de-evolve. You won't be needing him to do any fighting for a while. We're going to have some fun."

Daisuke looked helplessly at Lighdramon, then obeyed his orders. His partner hurried to his side, one clawed hand gently curving around his leg. The Chosen couldn't look at him; not right now. "So what kind of 'fun' are you talking about?"

"Something I'm going to enjoy for far longer than you can imagine, and that you probably won't like at all."

"I don't like the sound of that." He followed as Ken turned and started to walk back the way he'd come, V-mon trailing along behind them both.

"I didn't expect that you would. I would rather enjoy it if you learned to, however." Ken reached casually behind him and caught Daisuke by one hand, not losing a single step in the process. "It would be something we could...share."

Daisuke shook his head firmly. "I'd rather share a case of head lice."

"I really must work on what you find amusing, Daisuke."

Nothing else was said as Ken pulled him through the foliage, arriving at last at a circular clearing. Hovering just above the treetops, visible now that the trees themselves weren't in the way, was a huge building that could only be described as a fortress. Daisuke stared, hardly able to conceive that he was seeing the place they'd spent the last few months searching for.

"Whoa."

Ken's smirking face turned towards him. "Yes, it is almost as impressive as I am."

"Do you have to keep on expanding the door every time your ego gets boosted a little bit?"

Hard violet eyes narrowed, and Ken almost snipped out his next orders. "Don't say anything unless I give you permission." His gaze dropped down to V-mon, hardening even more. "I don't want to hear anything out of _either_ of you. I have some things to do, and I can do them best without the snide comments."

Daisuke almost flinched; Ken hadn't spoken to him like that in...at least a day or two! Actually, he couldn't even remember if the Kaiser _ever_ been that snappish towards him. Ken could always be counted on to be superior, arrogant, smug, and a general pain all around, but he'd actually sounded _annoyed_ by the kind of comment they'd been exchanging most of the day.

Before he quite knew what was going on or how it happened, he found himself kneeling beside Ken's throne once more. V-mon was on his other side, seated cross-legged, and Ken was gracefully reclining in the chair, his attention on the screens before him. Daisuke started to lift his head, wanting to see what was going on, then froze as Ken spoke. "Keep looking at the floor, and don't even try to get away or speak. This won't take me long, and I want the surprise to _remain_ a surprise for you." One hand lazily caressed his hair, a soft sigh slipping out from Daisuke as it did.

_I forgot how nice this felt._ His mind began to slip away under the familiar fingers going through his hair. He was still aware of his partner being just a few inches to his side, but it didn't seem to matter that much, not with how good this felt as Ken petted and stroked. Whatever fury it was that he'd had outside appeared to have faded away completely. Daisuke gave himself up to the pleasure, knowing it would stop and start completely at Ken's will. There wasn't really anything he could do about it, and even trying was barred from him if that was what Ken wanted.

_I'm becoming what he wants me to be._ His stomach cemented itself together at the very thought, and he knew the only thing that was keeping him right now was that damnable collar around his neck. _It's not because of anything **he's** done to me, or I've done to myself._ Logic and reason were not friends to Daisuke. They were more like the bitterest of enemies. But today was a good day to try something different. _It's all because of this thing. I'd be myself again if I could just get it off!_

His eyes closed as the caressing fingers continued their cyclic path through his hair, then snapped open once more as he felt his goggles being removed. He couldn't speak or move yet, but he certainly heard the small crunch as Ken's fingers tightened around the headgear. A moment later, the ruined goggles hovered in the air in front of his eyes, and Ken spoke.

"A little present I'm sending to your friends before we make our grand entrance. I think they'll enjoy it, especially once they see you with me." The goggles were pulled away, and the sound of a keyboard in use echoed faintly from the walls. Daisuke winced the very tiny bit he could, something aching inside at the thought of the destruction of his goggles. Taichi had entrusted them to him, and he'd done his best to keep them safe all this time. Now, thanks to the whim of a stupid kid, they were gone.

What was he going to say to Taichi?

The decision was taken out of his hands, at least for a little while, a few moments later when Ken stood up, abruptly motioning Daisuke to do the same. When V-mon started to do the same, Ken shook his head. "You're staying here. This entertainment is for _us_."

Daisuke knew that his partner hadn't had a spiral or ring put on him, but it was still unnerving to see him step back from the Kaiser like that. Something in that had to get across to V-mon as he looked down at him, since the small blue dragon smiled a bit ruefully. "I don't want him to hurt you, Daisuke. So at least until we're out of here...it's like it was back when he had the others all tied up."

He knew what that meant at once. The others had been Ken's prisoners, and he'd told V-mon to do what he was told, to save them. _Wait, there's something wrong about that._ He frowned, but the memory slipped away before he could latch onto it.

"It's time to go, Daisuke. Our entertainment awaits." As he spoke, he turned on his heel and stalked towards the door to the room. Daisuke followed like a tame puppy dog.

The imagery made one of them very happy.

Daisuke was the only human who had ever spent any time in Ken's fortress other than the Kaiser himself. Unfortunately, that time had almost completely been spent in various stages of pickled brains, so he had no idea of anything being unusual in the variations of the hallways outside of the throne room. All he could do was follow along behind the Kaiser as he stalked through the corridors like the king he felt himself to be.

A door slid open in front of them, spilling brilliant sunlight onto them suddenly. Daisuke blinked, trying to get his eyes to adjust, then stared harder at what he saw beyond the glare. This had to be some kind of weird joke. They'd _destroyed_ this! It had been one of the first things they'd done once everyone had their Digimental! He remembered freeing the Gotsumon from it! But there it was, as big as life and twice as annoying.

The arena spread out before them, just as perfect as the day they'd brought it down. At the end nearest them was a giant stone throne, and Daisuke just had time to notice that was where Ken was headed before his legs jerked and started to make him follow the Kaiser once again. It was perfectly circular, with rows of seating as if others were going to come, and a wide central area filled with sand. In other words, it was a perfect replica of the arenas Daisuke had seen in his history books.

Ken took his seat, settling his cape neatly around himself, then motioned Daisuke to what was becoming his usual spot, kneeling beside him. "I know you want to ask something. So ask."

"What are we doing here? How'd you rebuild this place? _Why_ did you rebuild it? Where are the others? What kind of game are you playing?"

The Kaiser glanced momentarily down at him, and Daisuke was quite certain he saw a raised eyebrow beyond those concealing glasses. "I'll only answer one question, Daisuke. I'd advise you to make it a _very_ good one."

Thoughts raced around Daisuke's mind for a few moments, then he settled on the one that might give him the most he wanted. "What's going to happen here?"

Ken's lips moved slightly into something that had a half a chance of being an approving look. "It's quite simple. I'm going to have fun. You're going to learn how to have fun. Your friends will learn how to amuse us." He motioned to the arena and snapped his fingers. "Send in the entertainment!"

Rumbling of some kind echoed in the clear Digital World air, and he heard familiar voices raised in protest. A few seconds later, Takeru, Hikari, Miyako, and Iori were herded into the arena, surrounded by at least a dozen Digimon, all wearing evil rings or spirals. There was no sign anywhere of their partners, and all four of them looked furious enough to strangle something, or someone, with their bare hands.

"Welcome to my arena." Ken's voice brought them all looking up to where the two observers sat. "I've been a little bored lately, and the four of you are going to alleviate that."

"We're going to do _what_?" Miyako glared up at the Kaiser furiously, fists clenching by her sides. Daisuke noticed for the first time that all four of them were wearing something unusual around their heads: a headband with a diamond shaped gem right in the center.

Ken leaned back, supporting his chin in one hand for a moment, not appearing to have taken any notice of her outburst. His other hand touched Daisuke's head briefly, not actually petting but just touching, as if in preparation. "The four of you are going to fight for _our_ pleasure. You seem to do decently against my slaves. I want to see how well you do against each other."

"How are you going to make us do _that_?" Takeru folded his arms and glared up, practically glowing with righteousness, anger, and annoyance. Daisuke had forgotten how many times he'd wanted to knock that look off the blond's face, both before and after his crush on Hikari.

_There's an after?_ That might've been more fun to pay attention to, but other things were happening now. Ken leaned forward, his hand never leaving Daisuke's head, and grinned.

"Like this." Something had appeared in his other hand, some kind of remote control. Daisuke was reminded quite fiercely of several bad movies he'd caught Jun watching late at night, but never more so as Ken flipped the switch on it. The diamond tipped headbands glowed briefly red, which was picked up by the four sets of eyes below the bands. The diamonds faded, but the scarlet glow remained, as the four of them stepped away from each other, hands curving into claws, low and fierce growls issuing from their throats.

"What are you _doing_?" Daisuke virtually shrieked the words out. This was the stuff of his worst nightmares! "Stop this! Now! Takeru! Hikari! Miyako! Iori!"

His words were cut off as Ken's firm and commanding hand began to stroke through his hair once more. His mind began to reach for that sinfully delicious drifting again, and he fought even harder to pull himself away from it. His friends _needed_ him, and they were going to get an up close view of just what the Kaiser was doing to him if he didn't do something! He tried to move, just a little, and managed to inch ahead perhaps half an inch or so.

"Don't take your eyes off of them, Daisuke. This is far too interesting for you to miss anything. You don't need to say anything, though. I know what you're going to want to know." Ken spoke as if Daisuke's attempted rebellion were not only not worth bothering himself about, but not even something he'd _noticed_. Daisuke ground his teeth briefly; Ken had a way of making him feel like the most important creature in his personal universe one second, and treating him like unnoticeable scum the next. "Those headbands are a new invention of mine. I've been working on them for a while. They work on a level similar to my rings, spirals, and your collar. Of course _yours_ is a little different." A note of pride thrummed in his voice, along with the same irritating smugness. Daisuke wanted to ask just what Ken meant, since he hadn't noticed anything that made what was around his neck any different, but it was a little too hard to form the words right now.

It was really a little hard to do anything at all except watch the horror below. Iori seemed to be doing the best, surprisingly so for his size. He didn't have a kendo stick with him, but he was using some of the same moves anyway, and they were serving him quite well. Miyako had the reach of everyone, with her greater height, but Hikari had sunk her hands into that tempting wave of violet hair and was yanking her best friend this way and that. Takeru was pounding into anyone and everyone he could reach, not caring who or what he hit. Daisuke could see bruises and cuts on them all, especially anyone who had come into range of Miyako's nails, and he wanted to look away so badly. The command remained in effect, however: he could not take his eyes off of them, no matter how much he wanted to.

There was something else he knew he could do, though. Even if his eyes never left, his mind could. The empty-mindness that came with Ken's hands through his hair beckoned temptingly. It wouldn't hurt as much if he didn't have to actually think. If he could just let it all go away, let it all fade into nothingness and give himself completely up to the bliss that was perfect contentment at Ken's feet...


	7. The Truth Hinted

_**Legal Disclaimer:** All characters within are the legal property of Toei Entertainment, or were inspired by such. This is done only for amusement.  
**Series Title:** Fade In, Fade Out  
**Chapter Title:** The Truth Hinted  
**Romance:** Ken/Daisuke  
**Rated:** T_

_It was them again. He had no names to put to them, but he knew it was them anyway. He could hear them just as plainly as if he were sitting right next to them. _

_"Everything's going perfectly. Just like I told you. He's almost completely accepted it." _

_"I still think you're underestimating them all. Especially **him**." There was something that might have been a touch of fear in that voice, as if they didn't want to name whoever it was they really meant. _

_The other didn't answer for some time, and when they did, it was only in the brutal whack of flesh upon flesh. There was also a thunk, as of someone hitting a floor of some kind. Daisuke itched to know what was going on; whatever the problem was, he had to help get it fixed. Friends shouldn't treat each other like that. He and Ken never had, even in the darkest of times. _

_Wait, there it was again. A flicker of something that could not be. He tried to figure out what it meant, but before his mind could get a firm grip on it, it slid away again. Then the voices started up, distracting him in an entirely different direction. _

_"You're not going to doubt my word yet **again**, are you, Kondo?" Imperialness dripped off the words, and something deep inside Daisuke resonated to that, something he had no control over. It was the kind of voice that **made** people want to listen to it and obey whoever it was that was speaking. It dwarfed Ken's most commanding Kaiser tones by miles. _

_Kondo, the same voice that had expressed doubts and reluctance before, took a while in replying, and when she did, it sounded as if she were having problems speaking for some reason. "No, Mori, I'm not." There was a pause. "But you don't have to knock me around to prove a point." _

_"You're too slow to learn otherwise. Now turn up the drip there. He's getting a bit too close to being awake for my taste. I don't want him hearing us." _

_"He may have already." Kondo spoke quietly, as if she didn't want this to be said, but felt it had to be anyway. Daisuke likened her briefly to Hikari for that. _

_Mori snorted coldly, and Daisuke almost felt as if there were a hand on his forehead. "If he has, it's only as a dream to him. Nothing he can remember or really think about. I've told you before, I **know** what I'm doing. He'll forget it all." _

_Almost as soon as the words were spoken, Daisuke could feel the whole situation slipping away, a gray fog stirring and twisting around his mind. He tried to cry out, to say or do something that would hold onto it, but nothing happened except the thick blanket that spread across his mind and wiped it clean._

Daisuke stared at the ceiling above his head for several moments before he realized just what it was he was looking at. He looked around quickly, his jaw dropping as the truth began to crash in on him. Or at least he hoped it was the truth. The way things had been going on in the last few hours, he wasn't certain of anything any more.

For the moment, though, he was staring around at his own bedroom. His D-3 and D-Terminal were laid neatly beside him on his pillow, as if arranged there by caring hands, and there was a familiar presence that could only be Chibimon about halfway down his body.

_I was with Ken. In the Digital World. The others were fighting..._ His hand flew up to his neck, and he sagged into the pillow briefly as his fingers touched the firm hoop of the collar. _Am I going crazy?_

"Daisuke?" Chibimon peered up at him, concern marked on his tiny face. "Are you all right? You haven't moved in so long..."

"I'm okay." Daisuke had no idea on if he were lying or not. He felt like he was all right, but... "How long has it been?"

"Almost since we got back from the Digital World." Chibimon snuggled in a little closer. "I thought maybe you were sleeping. We did have a rough day."

Daisuke blinked slowly and tried not to tighten up too much. "We did? What happened?"

"Don't you remember?" Chibimon raised his head again, then climbed onto his partner's chest, staring into Daisuke's eyes worriedly. "Are you _sure_ you're all right?"

"I...I don't know anymore," Daisuke confessed, his fingers clenching on the bed sheets. "The last thing I knew, I was in the Digital World. We _all_ were. Ken was making the others fight each other, and I..." He shuddered in memory of that soulshattering moment when all he could think of to do was surrender to what Ken wanted.

Chibimon nuzzled his chin briefly. "We haven't seen Ken in _days_. We went to the Digital World, knocked down some of the towers, and came on back home. That's all."

"You're sure?" Daisuke frowned; there'd been more than that, more than just the battle in the arena. He could've sworn he'd heard voices in his mind, something like the ones he'd heard before, when Koushirou had been trying to examine his collar. "That sounds so...dull."

"Dull?" Chibimon just stared at him, then nuzzled again. "You must need some more sleep. You look all weird. Like you don't believe me."

Daisuke reached down to gently rub between his partner's ears. "It's not that. I just had some really weird dreams. They were so _real_, I guess I just..." He couldn't bring himself to finish it. He'd never mistaken any of his dreams for reality before, and the thought it was happening again was a little on the stomach churning side.

_Maybe I should go ask Ken._ The fingers of his other hand clenched around the sheets at the very thought of it. But it made sense. If it had really been a dream, Ken wouldn't remember it anymore than any of the others would. But if it had been real, and somehow everyone else had just forgotten it, then...well, he wasn't entirely certain just what that would mean, except that Ken deserved a good solid hit to the jaw. Messing with people's heads wasn't something you just did for _fun_!

Besides, it was obvious Ken really was interested in him. The collar made it as plain as anything. He touched it again, a peculiar comfort in the motion. What had Ken said about it, in the dream? Memory? Or whatever it was. The collar was similar to the rings and spirals Ken used on helpless Digimon, but _different_ somehow. What could that mean? Did he _not_ control Daisuke's thoughts and action with it?

No, he knew that was wrong. Ken had brought him to heel quite a few times with it on. He tried to remember specifics, but nothing could really come to mind. At least nothing he could identify as being a real memory anymore. _I don't like it when people mess with my mind._ He frowned almost as soon as the thought formed itself. It wasn't as if people did that so often that he'd actually developed an opinion about the matter. _No one_ enjoyed having their mind played with. That was a fact.

It also was a fact there was something _different_ about the way he'd thought it. He tried to work his way back to just what it was, but whatever meaning hid behind the notion faded just as everything else seemed to be doing. He was really learning to hate that. At least he thought he was. That faded away too.

"Daisuke?" Chibimon stared up at him, prodding with tiny fingers. "What's going on? You look weird. Again."

"I don't know, Chibimon." Daisuke carefully moved his partner to the side of the bed and stood up. "But I really want to find out."

First things were first. Find out if he was really home or if he were in Ken's fortress. The Kaiser had played with his perceptions about this once before, and Daisuke wouldn't put it past him to do it again. He seemed to get a real kick out of making Daisuke think one thing and then something entirely else was going on. The bastard.

It only took a few seconds for him to cross over to the door and yank it open. He ignored, with the practice that came of what seemed to be days, the nervousness twisting around in his insides over what he might see beyond here. Which turned out to be nothing more nor less than the hallway he was used to seeing whenever he opened his door. Part of the living room could be seen from where he was, and so could the door of Jun's bedroom, and a couple of other doors. Everything looked suspiciously normal.

_I've got to stop being paranoid._ A line from something, somewhere came back to him, and he couldn't help but laugh. Was it really paranoia when someone really _was_ out to get you? He didn't think so.

He looked back at Chibimon. "Stay here for a second. I'll be right back." His partner nodded, confusion written all over his tiny face. Daisuke knew exactly how he felt. The only difference was he knew why he was confused, and it had nothing to do with how weird _he'd_ been acting. Just everything to do with how weird everything had been around him.

Nerving himself, he stepped over the threshold of his room and out into the hallway. Every step he took, he took with extreme care, keeping an eye out for any unusual changings of anything. Instead of comforting him when nothing had happened by the time he reached the living room, Daiuske was about ready to come out of his skin with nervousness.

_Any second now. Any second now._ He repeated it to himself over and over, expecting things to shift and change and to find himself beside the Kaiser, somewhere, anywhere. The fact it hadn't happened was more terrifying than anything else.

"What's wrong, squirt?" At the voice, he jumped, shrieked, and whirled around almost in the same second, staring behind himself. Jun looked back at him, blinking in confusion at his reaction. She stood in the doorway of her own room, one of the juice boxes she liked to keep in her room in case of a late night thirst in one hand. "Whoa, time to cut back on the caffeine, little brother!"

"J...Jun. It's you." Daisuke tried his best to get his heartbeat down to a manageable level. "It's just you."

"Just me?" She shot a look at him he'd seen a thousand times over, and had mentally named the Big Sister look. Most of the times he'd seen it, he'd panicked out of his skin, or laughed. This time, it didn't even send a chill down his spine. He'd seen a lot worse. "I think I'm going to be insulted. What's got you so upset?"

Daisuke shook his head. There was no way he could explain _any_ of this. "Um, would you believe a bad dream?"

"No."

"Well, it was worth a shot." He sighed and looked back at the apartment door. "Where are Mom and Dad?"

His sister came a little closer and touched his forehead lightly with the back of her hand before he could stop her. "Are you sure you're all right? You know Mom and Dad went to go see Grandma this afternoon. They'll be back next week." She touched his forehead one more time and frowned. "You don't _feel_ warm."

Daisuke pushed himself away from her and started back to his room. "It's nothing, Jun. I just dozed off and I think I'm about half-asleep still. I think I'm going to finish the nap. Rough afternoon with the Computer Club, that kind of thing." He shut his door before Jun could follow him, and quickly locked it. Hopefully she wouldn't be concerned enough to even think about trying to get the spare apartment keys and coming in to check on him.

Chibimon didn't say anything as he stared at his partner, but the worry was still written all over his face. Daisuke looked at him for a few moments as he leaned against the back of the door, then he sighed a little. There was only one thing that he could really think about doing to figure out what was going on. The thought was repulsive, but there was nothing else he could do.

His D-Terminal was right where he'd left it, and he picked it up with care. He checked for any new mail first, and spied a reply from Taichi. He skimmed it quickly; the older Chosen and Yamato would talk to him whenever he wanted to. Hikari and Takeru had told them both about the collar, and they would do what they could to help. Daisuke smiled some; that was just what he was hoping to hear. He'd talk to them after he was done with _this_ though.

He had no idea how he knew just where to send the new message, but his fingers put the address there anyway. Then came the rest of what he had to say. Just a few short lines, but they meant sanity, or at least the hope for some answers, to him.

_Ken, I want to talk to you. Now. So either you come to my place or meet me in the Digital World or something. I have to know I'm not losing my mind, and you're probably the only one who'll know. Daisuke_

A quick punch at a button sent the e-mail off into the ether and he sat down beside Chibimon. This was going to be the _rough_ part. "Chibimon, someone might be coming over. Or I might be going somewhere. I don't know which yet."

"The Kaiser." Chibimon snuggled into Daisuke's side, showing no hints of revulsion for what his partner was doing. The fact it went against all sanity didn't mean a thing to him. "You want to talk to him."

"I don't _want_ to." That was the last thing Daisuke really wanted. Well, one of the last things. If he tried, he was really sure he could come up with a half a dozen other things he'd rather didn't happen. "But I think I _have_ to."

"Why?"

Daisuke closed his eyes, wondering if he just sat like this long enough, would something like the life he'd had before the previous night come back to him. It probably wouldn't. "Because he might know the truth. And if he doesn't, maybe I can just punch him or something." There was something about the therapeutic value of knocking the daylights out of someone. Yamato had told him about it once. It helped if it was your best friend sometime. As weird as it was, there was really nothing like having someone you liked so well that you could beat each other to a pulp and they'd ask if you wanted to go play some soccer afterwards.

_Maybe I should ask him if he wants to do that._ The thought of playing soccer with Ken was quite definitely on the unnerving side. He frowned just a little, wondering if he were going to have yet another of those moments where he thought something completely wacko about Ken. Like remembering them playing soccer together or something like that, which could have never happened.

He didn't.

What he did have was the need to open his eyes and pick up the D-Terminal, as the familiar beep of a new message arriving sounded. He hoped it would be Ken, and not one of the others. The incongruity of that didn't miss him, though it was debateable on if he would have called it that. Totally nuts probably would've been what he used if someone had asked his opinion.

The answer was there, in neat and somehow clipped tones. He closed his eyes for a moment once more, then went over to his computer and turned it on. A few seconds passed, and then there it was: a Digital Gate, somehow _darker_ than what he was used to seeing on the computer in school. It opened up, a beam of light issuing forth, and then there he was. In Daisuke's own bedroom, invited by him, without any of the others knowing anything about it. Daisuke couldn't remember any single stupider act he'd ever pulled off in his life. Somewhere in the back of his mind was the certainty that Jun would've mentioned several, if she'd been asked.

"Well, quite a nice place you have here, Daisuke." Ken wore the same pristine gray suit he'd almost always worn when the other boy had seen him on Earth before. He sat down in Daisuke's only chair, that single act making it more like a throne than anything else. It had nothing to do with the shape of the chair itself. It was quite simply in the pure power Ken exuded by seating himself there.

"Yeah, I'm sure you haven't seen anything like it." Daisuke wasn't really in the mood for a lot of banter. "Chibimon doesn't remember something I do, and I want to know if _you_ do or not."

One eyebrow lifted most elegantly. "You have such a polite way of asking as well, given our recent relationship." One slender finger pointed directly towards the collar. "I'm not obliged to tell you anything, Daisuke. In point of fact, I'm not even obliged to _be_ here."

"Then why did you come?" Daisuke challenged, balling up his fists. He wasn't stupid enough to try and hit Ken, but it made him feel better to imagine it at least. And in his imagination, he knew he wouldn't be stopped halfway and brought down to his knees.

"Curiosity." Ken leaned back in the chair and eyed the brunet calmly. "And I rather enjoy seeing what your little place looks like. You'd better enjoy it yourself while you can. You won't be here that much longer."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because it's the truth. I've told you before that I'm going to have you. That hasn't changed, no matter what. You _are_ mine." He announced it in the same calm, matter of fact way that most people announce they are going to have sushi for lunch or are planning on buying a pair of shoes.

Daisuke took a step closer, his instincts overriding everything else, but before a word could be said, Ken shook his head. "No, Daisuke, you're not going to lead me into a childish little game of "am not, am so". It's not _my_ fault you refuse facts. Now, let's move on to something a little more constructive. You want to know if the events of the arena were real or not, and if so, why you remember them and no one else seems to."

Daisuke nodded abruptly, and Ken smirked. "How do you know if anyone else remembers? The only one you've asked is that pile of digital trash there." Another headshake denied Daisuke the right to respond to that at all. "But to be simple, you and I are the only ones who remember. It was inconvenient for them to recall more than I want them to for now. When I feel the time is right, they'll know what they've done."

"When's that going to be?"

"I said, when _I_ feel it's right. You'll know." Ken's smirk was cold and practical. "You'll be there, after all, Daisuke." He dropped one hand beside the chair, the finger pointing to a spot that corresponded to where Daisuke tended to find himself when they were in the Digital World. The goggle-wearer sighed a little in resignation as he found himself kneeling there once more.

"You never get tired of this." It was a statement, not a question.

"Why should I? _You_ certainly don't." Ken's hand hovered teasingly above Daisuke's head, ready to descend at any moment. Daisuke told himself repeatedly that whatever it was that made him slip away into a mindless daze was not going to happen here, not in the real world, not in his own _bedroom_, for goodness' sake! It just _wouldn't_. Couldn't.

He'd been proven wrong earlier, when his apartment hadn't contorted and twisted into the Kaiser's fortress. This time, he was proven wrong once more, as Ken's hand began to slip through his hair so easily. Almost at once he noticed that his goggles weren't there to impede the ungloved hand, just about the same time he noticed a few differences in the petting. Ken's hand was no less commanding when he was on Earth than it was in the Digital World, but it just felt _different_ without the glove between them.

It felt...better. Nicer. More personal. He sighed softly, abandoning thought for a few seconds. There was really something quite nice about letting someone else do the thinking.

"Daisuke, are you sure you're all right?" At least she couldn't get in here. He'd locked it, after all. The door rattled briefly, then swung open, revealing Jun. She blinked briefly at the sight, her eyes growing wider and wider with every single second. "Daisuke?"

Her brother grinned a little as Ken lifted his hand, feeling a rush of brain cells surging in. "Um...hi, Jun. Something I can do for you?" How had she gotten the door open? He couldn't see the spare set of keys anywhere. But he _knew_ he'd locked it...

"Explaining why you're kneeling beside Ichijouji Ken, who has been missing for months, and why he's in your bedroom, and how he got in here without me noticing would be a _really_ good start." Jun stared down at him, the very epitome of an extremely pissed off big sister.

Ken said nothing at all, leaving his hand off of Daisuke's head. However Daisuke got out of this, it was going to be on his own.

"Well?" Jun put her hands on her hips and stared down, her gaze no less terrifying than Ken's own could be. "I want some _answers_, Daisuke!"

He stared at her for a few seconds, then flashed his best grin. "Jun, I told you those hairspray fumes and all the rest of it were going to get to you sooner or later. What makes you think somebody like Ichijouji Ken would be in _my_ room if he's run away? Not that he wouldn't be here if we knew each other, you know, cause who wouldn't want to visit _me_, but since we don't know each other, he's not here. You're just seeing things. Lots of things. Really weird things."

There were few things more terrifying than being in the spotlight. Daisuke had found one of them. All he could hope for was that she'd buy his explanation. He wasn't exactly holding his breath on that one, either.

"I'm seeing things?" Jun's eyes flicked from one of them to the other. "I don't think so." Daisuke's heart clenched up. If she figured out what was really going on, he was _so_ screwed. He had no idea just what Ken might do to her, or him, but the odds were pretty good it wouldn't be anything all that pleasant. Mindless bliss was about the best he could hope for, and that wasn't anywhere nearly what it was cracked up to be.

She shook her head quite firmly and stepped back. "I'm not seeing things. I'm just dreaming. I took a nap after I did my homework, and I'm dreaming."

"Very good, my dear." Ken declared, motioning her farther out of the room. "You keep on believing that, and we'll all be much better off. Go finish your nap, and dream about that crush of yours, or something else suitable. I was never here and you're not even going to remember this silly dream when you wake up." He tossed something to her, smirking faintly when she caught it. "Just have a little nibble on that and you'll find everything is _so_ much clearer."

Daisuke watched as Jun left the room altogether, closing the door behind her, and then turned back to Ken. "What was that you gave her?"

"Just a little delight from the Digital World. You have nothing to worry about." The Kaiser's hand came back down on Daisuke's hair, but didn't resume the petting. "But you haven't had to worry for a while now, have you? I've been taking care of all of that for you."

"And I suppose you always will?" Daisuke got in what snark he could, while he could. "That's the sort of thing people like you tell someone they're screwing around with right now, isn't it?"

Ken chuckled softly, rubbing a few strands of Daisuke's hair between his fingers. The dark-haired boy shivered, clinging onto his brain cells with every ounce of his mental strength. Ken didn't seem all that interested in reducing him to mental mush at the moment, since he only caressed those few strands, and Daisuke's brains didn't show any signs of packing up and leaving. "You've really been reading too many silly novels, Daisuke. There won't be anything for you to worry about at _all_ before too long. Everything is nearing completion."

"Why can't I remember some things?" Daisuke seized hold of the chance to get some answers, or at least to ask the questions. "Why do I keep thinking you're my _friend_? Why am I remembering things that never happened? Why are you doing things like this? You never have! Never! _What changed_, **_Ken_**?"

When no answer seemed forthcoming, Daisuke started to jerk himself to his feet. Ken shook his head lightly, and Daisuke sank back down without even waiting to see if the collar would make him. He knew it would.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Ken said at last. "And you really have nothing to worry about. I've told you that enough times, and I _won't_ tell it to you again. You're not an idiot, and you can certainly figure out when something is hopeless. Like trying to resist me."

The words grated against some part of Daisuke that he hadn't even suspected existed until now. "That's not true. You know it's not true, and you do know what's going on, you're just not telling me!"

Ken's hand came down firmly on Daisuke's head, a little harder than it had any other time. "I've had enough of this, Daisuke. You're pushing me, and I don't enjoy that in you. If you keep it up, you'll regret it."

Daisuke could hear the threat implied, and he didn't care. Those questions were _going_ to get answers, and if Ken knew them, he'd deliver, or else! "Answer me and I won't push you, then! Just tell me you know and just aren't telling me!" He knew that was a lie, but he didn't care at all. There was nothing left in him _to_ care, not after everything that had happened since he'd opened his eyes in Ken's personal throne room.

"That's enough." The words echoed around the room. There was no seeming to, that was precisely what they did. Daisuke flinched at the no longer just implied threat, then became more and more aware of the collar around his neck. He hadn't really thought about it too much, except to be aware of its presence or ability, for a while. Now it was just...there somehow, more than it had been. "I've put up with quite a bit from you, and I've really had enough of it. Now it's time for things to change, Daisuke."

Daisuke squeaked in surprise as Ken's hand left his hair and seized his chin, yanking his head up so their eyes met. His startled noise faded away as Ken's nearly demonic gaze swept over him, pinning him in place with living amethyst fire.

"Definitely time for a change." Ken hissed the words out from between clenched teeth, and his bedroom faded from Daisuke's awareness for the very last time.


	8. The Mystery Thins

_**Legal Disclaimer:** All characters within are the legal property of Toei Entertainment, or were inspired by such. This is done only for amusement.  
**Series Title:** Fade In, Fade Out  
**Chapter Title:** The Mystery Thins  
**Romance:** Ken/Daisuke  
**Rated:** T_

The Chosen were back in the Digital World. His lip curled at the very sight of them, traipsing around this place as if it actually belonged to them. Or worse, as if it _didn't_ belong to the proper owners. They'd have to be taught yet another lesson.

As always, the problem lay in deciding just how to deliver said lesson. Perhaps with a few enslaved Digimon. Or just going there himself and letting them know this world was off limits to everyone but the true masters of it.

The Kaiser would be the one to make the ultimate decision on it, though. He looked up, hearing the firm measured steps that indicated his boyfriend was coming, and smiled broadly at the sight of the taller boy's finely made features.

"They're back again, Ken," he reported as the Kaiser took his seat in the throne next to him. "I was thinking we might want to remind them that this is _our_ world. They keep forgetting."

"What do you expect? They're not on _our_ level, Daisuke." Ken looked amused at the very thought. "They haven't been able to learn for months. Did you really think they would _now_?"

Daisuke shrugged a little, turning his attention back to the monitors. The Chosen were still walking around. No, they'd stopped, and they were dismantling one of the towers. Again. They never learned. "Not really." One hand drifted up to his neck, rubbing lightly at it. It felt a little odd today for some reason, as if there were something there. He couldn't imagine what it might be. He knew exactly what he was wearing: the same thing he'd worn every day since coming to the Digital World to stay with Ken.

Just to refresh his memory, he glanced back over the outfit. He'd designed it for himself, so it fit him perfectly. It was the same kind of digital fabric as Ken's, in different shades and styles. Where the Kaiser's outfit was blue and yellow, Daisuke's was in various hues of flame, reds and golds mostly. His boots were reddish-brown, and the rich gold trousers tucked into them weren't quite skin tight, as that would have seriously interfered in his soccer playing. They were the next thing to it, however. His shirt was a complementary shade of red, one that set off the highlights in his hair nicely, or so Ken told him frequently.

A cloak flowed down from his shoulders to just past his knees, fastened by a single brooch, instead of the way Ken had his, hanging from both shoulders. It was cut to resemble dragon wings instead of the insect wings that the back of Ken's outfit looked like. Though Daisuke never told Ken that was always what he was reminded of whenever he eyed him from behind. Daisuke was fairly certain the look was somehow connected to the bond they each had to V-mon and Wormmon respectively, and Ken never enjoyed being reminded about that.

_That's something I still have to work on with him_. V-mon had stood by him loyally from the very beginning, and that was something Daisuke treasured. _Maybe later._ Wormmon was just as devoted to Ken as V-mon was to him. Ken would see it, sooner or later. He just had to. He listened to just about everything else that Daisuke said.

"What are you thinking about, Daisuke?" Ken asked him that a lot, and though Daisuke couldn't comprehend _fearing_ the Kaiser, there was something about the tone every time that hinted at things best not mentioned if Daisuke said something that wasn't quite 'right'.

"You, of course." It wasn't as if he were lying, not that he _would_. But everyone had to occasionally tread carefully about Ken. Daisuke knew he wasn't any different from anyone else in _that_ respect. He just would have a different sort of punishment in store for him if he irritated the blue-haired monarch. It wouldn't really involve pain, but pleasure could get a little painful in and of itself, when done at Ken's hands. After all, those hands were the ones that could send his brain skittering off to the far corners of the cosmos with just a swift caress through his hair.

"You look as if it might be something else on your mind." Ken reached over to touch Daisuke's hand where it was still rubbing on his neck. "Are you sure it's nothing else?"

"I'm sure." Daisuke grinned back at him, reaching out to caress the top of Ken's hand with his free hand. "I don't lie to you, Ken." The mere thought of lying to Ken was silly. Ken knew everything anyway, so he'd know if he were lied to. So Daisuke didn't even bother. It didn't mean he couldn't hedge the truth sometimes, though.

Ken's lips moved slightly into a smile, and he rubbed Daisuke's hand a little. "So we have some Chosen vermin in our world." He looked back at the monitors. "Did you have anything in mind for wrecking their day? And enjoying ours?"

"A few things." Daisuke grinned, slouching down in his throne. "I was thinking we could do something old-fashioned. Classical. Some Tyrannomon and Monochromon going through the middle of them. Maybe a few things from above, just to make it fun on those fliers who think they can get away with being in the air."

"Very good. You're getting almost as good as _I_ am at this." Ken relaxed into his own throne, eyeing the destruction being caused by the Chosen. "We'll have to put up some more towers to replace those, as well. Can't let these Digimon think they're getting away from our power, can we?"

Daisuke rubbed at his throat again, nodding slightly as he did so. "Yeah, you're right." He answered just a little absently. Something was going on, he just knew it. He could _feel_ something around his throat that had never been there before. And yet, it felt as familiar as it could be.

_They work on a level similar to my rings, spirals, and your collar. Of course, **yours** is a little different_. The voice echoed in his head as he continued to rub his throat. It sounded a lot like Ken's, but there was something different about it, something that defied identification.

What could it mean? What collar? Ken had never needed something like that to bring him to him. He'd just realized how completely _right_ Ken was about just about everything, and how wrong the other Chosen had been. They'd been furious when he'd made his choice, of course. He couldn't really say he'd blamed them. He'd been their friend, and with just a few words, at least in their eyes, he'd become their enemy. _It wasn't like that, though_.

Ken had talked to him a lot, explaining his theories and his reasonings. Daisuke had told him he was nuts at first. But with every conversation, things had seemed clearer and clearer. He couldn't remember right offhand just what Ken had said that made so much sense, but he was quite certain it _had_ made sense.

He eyed the group on the screen again. Takeru, Miyako, Iori, and Hikari. With a flick of a switch, one of the screens froze on Hikari and he stared at her image for a while. She'd probably been his first crush. It had been sweet, even with Takeru muddying up the waters as he had for a while, but everyone had to move on. It wasn't as if she could really understand him in the first place. He needed things she couldn't begin to grasp. But someone else did.

"You're not thinking about _her_ again, are you, Daisuke?" Ken moved a hand, and the screen rippled, catching up with the others. "I thought you'd gotten over that."

Daisuke looked over at him and smiled a touch ruefully. "Just thinking about the old days, I guess. I miss them." Uh-oh. Why had he said that? He hadn't been saying things like _that_ since he'd first come to Ken's side! Ken had _helped_ him with thinking before he said a word. This wasn't going to go over all that well.

"Is that so?" Ken's eyes hardened imperceptibly. "You miss being with _them_? You wouldn't be thinking that they're right in thinking what they're doing is right, would you? I thought we'd covered this."

"No! That's not what I meant." Damn it, why did he always seem to say the wrong thing at the wrong time? That was one of the things that had drawn him to Ken in the first place. Ken _never_ did anything like this, and that sheer perfection was intoxicating. Even when Ken made some kind of mistake, it was a flawless work of art.

One perfectly curved eyebrow raised above Ken's glasses. "Then what _did_ you mean, Daisuke?"

"I meant..." He had no idea what it was he'd meant. Ken had to know that. He'd dealt with Daisuke long enough to know how his mind worked most of the time. Ken just looked at him, waiting patiently for anything that could be an explanation that made a little bit of sense. "I just was thinking about how things used to be. I miss being with my friends, but I don't want to go back there." An idea flickered in, one that might possibly get him out of a jam. "Maybe we could work on convincing them that you're right? They've never really talked to you, they've just gotten started on taking down the towers or releasing a Digimon or something."

Ken's eyes never left his face, and Daisuke found himself starting to squirm under the intense glare. Finally, the Kaiser spoke. "No, Daisuke. The only one of them I ever want is _you_. Those four are nothing but an annoyance to me. I _will_ dispose of them, in any way that I see fit. Understood?"

Daisuke dropped his gaze, unable to meet those eyes for another second. His hand rubbed once more around his throat, and he almost jumped when he realized he could _feel_ something there this time. It felt a lot like...a collar.

"Daisuke?" Ken tapped one hand firmly on the arm of Daisuke's throne. "You're acting very strangely. Why do you keep touching your neck there?"

"Ken, this is really weird." Daisuke rubbed harder and faster at the unfamiliar weight around his neck. "It's like there's a _collar_ around my neck. I don't know where it came from. It's just kind of _there_. Maybe it's why I've been thinking about them?" He didn't think it was true, but you just never knew sometimes. Ken couldn't have put it there; he _wouldn't_ have, but he wasn't the only person in any world that could do something like this. Not that he knew of anyone who could do something like this, or get close enough to him so he hadn't noticed this thing until now.

Ken leaned a little closer, reaching out to touch beside Daisuke's own hand. "I don't feel anything. That's a shoddy excuse for your actions, Daisuke." He lifted one hand, laying it against the other boy's cheek for a moment. "If you want to return to them, you're always free to. I highly doubt they'd permit it, however. You've heard the things they say about you."

Daisuke flinched, but if it was at the memory or at the sudden flash of fire that encircled his neck from the collar, he wasn't all that certain. He jerked himself away, shivering all over. "Ken, I...I think something's wrong with me. I _know_ the collar's there." He knew that sounded sad. Pathetic, even. Not at all worthy of the Kaiser's companion and consort.

The Kaiser stood up slowly, his cape swinging back with that familiar arrogant swirl. "We'll talk about this later, Daisuke. When you've had some time to think about this." Before Daisuke could utter a single word in his own defense, even if he'd been able to think of any, Ken laid a hand on his head, stroking it in that damnably familiar way. Daisuke groaned audibly, sinking back. The warm fog rose almost at once, wrapping itself around his mind and pulling his wits away in a rich coating of pleasure. Ken's hand went back and forth, back and forth, with Daisuke's shame, anger, and frustration deepening with every caress. This was the kind of thing Ken would do to a _pet_ or a prisoner, not the one that he shared every part of his life with!

He wasn't entirely certain of when it was all over, but when his mind cleared again, he was seated on the bed in their shared bedroom. He was still in his uniform, and most of his brain cells seemed to have come back to life.

"I hate it when he does that." Daisuke groaned to himself, throwing himself backward onto the bed. "I _really_ hate it when he does that." He knew he was talking to himself. V-mon was off somewhere with Wormmon, taking care of dinner or something in the depths of the fortress. How they cooked with stubby paws and whatever it was Wormmon had, he had no idea. But it generally came out pretty well. Ken would accept nothing but the best, and there were generally three banquets a day set before the two of them.

His hand was at his neck again without even the need for thought. The collar was there. He sat up abruptly, standing up and going over to the free-standing mirror in one corner of the room. It reflected him the way it always had: an eleven year old, with eyes somehow both older and younger than one might expect, dressed in nearly royal clothes. He leaned in closer, then tugged his cape off and tossed it onto the bed. He needed a better look at his neck.

Everything seemed normal as he stared at the image of himself. Daisuke touched where the collar was over and over. He could feel it under his fingertips, _see_ where his fingers were stopping because of it. It was there. What could it mean? Who had put it there? The questions nagged and nagged at him, emotions he could put no names to stirring all through him as he began to yank at the collar furiously.

"Where did you come from?" Daisuke shouted, not caring if Ken heard him or of anything that the Kaiser might decide to do if he did. "What's going on? Why don't I _know_? Why don't I _remember_?"

As what he was saying sank into his brain, Daisuke stopped. What was he trying to remember? Being with the others? That hadn't been a problem. He'd gotten into trouble for it not that long ago! But it had to be something. He slammed one first furiously into the mirror, groaning as pain flashed from the point of contact all the way up his shoulder. "That was _really_ stupid." Adding insult to injury, the mirror wasn't even cracked.

Hitting the mirror hadn't really done anything for his temper. He glared at it for a few seconds, then stomped over to the window, staring down at the ever changing scenery. He had no idea where Ken was going, but it was probably near where the Chosen were blowing up towers. They had to be punished; that was a given. He just wished Ken hadn't seen fit to punish him at the same time. He would've liked to have gotten in on the fun. Or whatever it was.

_I wonder if he's still angry at me_. Ken could hold a grudge like no one Daisuke had ever seen, though he usually didn't where his consort was concerned. He hadn't held it against him for all the things that he'd done when Daisuke had been his enemy. That was good, at least. _Maybe I should try and talk to him._

He growled softly under his breath and whirled around, stalking up and down the room. No, he _didn't_ want to talk to Ken. He wanted to know where this blasted collar had come from, what it meant, and whatever it was that he thought he was trying to remember _was_.

"I want to know!" It should've sounded petulant and childish, but it didn't. Raw fury of a kind Daisuke had never really experienced surged through him, and he threw himself back across the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He didn't really want to be throwing a tantrum, but he had the strange feeling that was exactly what he was doing. "Whatever's going on, I want to _know_ about it!"

No matter how much he repeated it, however, the answers he wanted to find didn't seem to be very forthcoming. Daisuke closed his eyes and sighed. What _was_ the answer? Was he going crazy? Was Ken doing something and just not letting him in on it? No, he was fairly sure that wasn't it. He trusted Ken, no matter what. This wasn't the Kaiser's style, at any rate.

It was something like a soft whisper, but too low to be heard. Just the barest hint of sound, if that were the proper way to think of it. Maybe whoever had done this was somehow sneaking back in. Ken would be furious if the fortress security had somehow been breached. Maybe it really was one of the Chosen. This might be their most current way of 'rescuing' him. _I thought they gave that up, but you never know with them sometimes_.

Daisuke was quite certain he hadn't moved, but somehow, he became aware he wasn't quite laying how he had been. He _had_ been spread out over the bed, laying on it essentially sideways with his arms and legs spread out in the classic Daisuke-sprawl. Now, he felt as if he were more normally stretched out. His arms were down by his sides, and his legs were pressed together firmly.

It came again, louder this time. It was a soft murmur, close by his head. He still couldn't figure it out, nor could he really bring himself to open his eyes. They seemed so heavy all of a sudden. This was turning into what had to be the strangest day of his life.

"He's going to need another dose shortly. I hadn't expected it to wear off quite this soon. Stay here and make sure he doesn't go anywhere." That wasn't Ken. The name teased at his memory, but Daisuke couldn't place it. He could hear things a little more clearly now, but they still made no sense. Sharp, decisive footsteps sounded, fading away briefly, then a door closed, not all that far off.

This time, it was a real sigh, and he could hear it very clearly. "He's really, _really_ losing it." It was a female voice, somewhere between being a girl and a woman. He could feel a hand touching his now. She seemed to be checking his pulse, of all things. "I hope he really does know what he's doing, or he could kill him."

Whoever she was, she didn't seem to be talking _to_ Daisuke. It was more like she was talking about him, to herself. There didn't seem to be anyone else here, wherever 'here' was. He had to find out.

Daisuke took the deepest breath he could right now and tried with everything he had to yank his eyelids open. There was a nearly audible, at least to him, creak as he did so, and he could see a faint hint of light on the edges of his sight. It wasn't much, but it was better than he'd had a few seconds earlier.

He didn't think he'd made any kind of noise, but he must have, since the person standing next to him moved a little. "He's waking up. Mori didn't say anything about _this_!" She was definitely startled as he worked to get his eyes open even farther. "You're awake! I don't believe this, you're _awake_!"

Daisuke blinked slowly, trying to process what was going on. He'd just been in the Kaiser's fortress. Now he was...he had no idea where he was. All he could see was her face. She had dark brown hair cut somewhat close to her head, and concerned brown eyes. "Who..." His lips and tongue felt as if they hadn't been used in weeks. Maybe even longer.

"You don't really need to know." She looked around quickly, seeming to check for someone, then looked back at him. "I'm going to try and get you out of here."

Daisuke blinked again, his brain not quite processing on all cylinders at the moment. She turned slightly and called out, "Pidmon! Come in here, would you? I need some help."

A graceful white-winged Digimon that bore a remarkable resemblance to Angemon entered Daisuke's line of sight a few seconds later. The major difference between the two seemed to be that where Angemon's sash was a rich shade of blue, this one seemed to be...pink? Daisuke didn't even bother trying to comprehend it. There were other things he had a better chance of figuring out, like nuclear physics.

"Yes, Amaya?" His voice was low and husky, and she smiled warmly at him just at the sound of it, or so it seemed to Daisuke. "What is it?"

"I'm getting him out of here. Mori's really going too far with this, and he's _awake_ now. I can't just let this go on."

Pidmon nodded slightly. "I was hoping you'd say that. I can take him back to his friends, if you can release him."

Daisuke watched, not really able to do much more than that as Amaya began to unbuckle various straps at his wrists, elbows, waist, knees, and ankles. It was starting to look as if he were on some kind of mad scientist's table. As the last of them came loose, she put one arm around him and started helping him to stand up. The first thing he was fully aware of was that things seemed farther away than he was used to: things like the floor. And why was she trying to help him like this? He knew how to walk!

"You don't have to...ohhh..." Daisuke groaned as his legs crumpled underneath him and he nearly met the floor up close and personal. "Okay, maybe you do have to..."

Amaya laughed a little, the sound strained and almost forced. "Looks like you're burning the stuff off even faster now that you're awake. You at least _sound_ better. But it's going to take a while before you can walk again."

Daisuke started to lever himself up, and wasn't surprised when both Amaya and Pidmon put their arms under his arms and helped him stand. That in itself took enough of his attention so he didn't bother asking just who they were and where _he_ was for right now. That kind of thing could wait for later, when they were as far from here as possible.

He'd managed to take two weak and wobbly steps before something else caught his attention: a freestanding mirror achingly similar to what had been in Ken and his room. _Or was that even real?_ Trying to figure this out was giving him the headache from roughly nine or ten hells. He was going to buy a lot of aspirin as soon as he could. _Lots_ and _lots_ of aspirin.

"Daisuke, we don't have time for this. Let's _go_." He paid no attention to Amaya, jerking his way over to the mirror. At the last second, he overbalanced himself and fell forward, grabbing onto the frame to support himself. _This is going to hurt_, was the only thought going through his mind as the mirror began to tip over under his weight.

He was so convinced he was going to fall that it took a few seconds before he realized that he hadn't. Daisuke looked up slowly to see Pidmon there, one hand steadying the mirror carefully, and that amused look that any angel type of Digimon seemed to have as standard issue on what was visible of his face. "Um...thanks?" Daisuke would've rubbed the back of his head at the same time, if he'd had enough strength to get his arm back that far. But he was quite certain the sentiment was enough for now.

Pidmon's chuckle in his ears, Daisuke looked back at the mirror, caught by the desire to see what was going on with him for himself. There was definitely something different going on here. He stared into his own face, bare inches away, and couldn't stop. 'Different' didn't even begin to cover it.

It was still recognizably _his_ face, but it was the face he might well have had in a few years, when he was done with puberty and the kind of things it inflicted on someone. It was wider and slightly longer, with something more of a finished look to it. His eyes were still his, but now they were confused, and had a hint of fuzziness that he didn't like at all. His hair was almost exactly the same, minus the goggles, and there was a small array of scars on his lower left cheek that he couldn't for the life of him remember having.

"What in the..." He reached out carefully to touch the mirror, his fingers shaking, and almost jumped when the image also reached towards him. It really _was_ his reflection, no matter how odd it looked. He moved back a little, feeling Amaya's arms around him as he did so, and was a little surprised to find they were about the same height. She looked at least eighteen or nineteen. Surely she would've been taller than he was if that were true...

Then something else caught his eye, and he worked one hand free to check for it. _Why is this thing **everywhere** I am?_ He wanted to shout the question to the stars and moon. Maybe volume would get him some kind of answer? At least he could try. He wanted to know just why that silver collar was _always_ around his neck! Memories flickered through his mind, of kneeling beside Ken's throne in the fortress and finding it around his neck, of being in school and showing it to the others, of finding it there once again when he was the Kaiser's consort. Always, always, _always_ that collar was there! "Why can't I get rid of this thing?"

"I'll explain _everything_ once we're out of here." Amaya did her best to get him moving, with Pidmon joining her in an effort to get him moving. "That's all we have time for right now."

"Going somewhere, Kondo? And with _my_ vengeance toy? How rude of you." All three of them froze, though Daisuke's halting was more because the other two had. Footsteps sounded from behind them, and then someone was standing before them. He had hair similar to Amaya's, but slightly longer, and cold black eyes. He was dressed rather normally, in slacks and a shirt, but what drew Daisuke's eye was the syringe he was carrying in one hand.

"I hate needles..." the very confused Chosen muttered to himself. "Why isn't this nightmare _ending_?"


	9. The First Answers

_**Legal Disclaimer:** All characters within are the legal property of Toei Entertainment, or were inspired by such. This is done only for amusement.  
**Series Title:** Fade In, Fade Out  
**Chapter Title:** The First Answers  
**Romance:** Ken/Daisuke  
**Rated:** T_

Motomiya Daisuke couldn't remember a day that had been less _his_ than the one he was going through now. In point of fact, he couldn't quite clearly remember too many days period. The mere fact he had to be at least _wearing_ the body of a full grown adult, despite the also mere fact he couldn't remember living through much more than eleven years, showed that something hideously wrong was happening.

The fact he was standing less than two feet from someone who was eyeing him as if he were an incredibly interesting science experiment showed it even _more_ clearly. Daisuke had no idea how or why, but he was quite certain that this person was the one responsible for everything. The few things that Kondo Amaya, or so he assumed her name was, since _he_ had called her Kondo, and the name the Pidmon standing on one side of him had called her was Amaya, had hinted at it pretty strongly. Okay, maybe he did have an idea of _why_ he thought it was this guy.

A low, faintly amused laugh rippled out from Mori as he folded his arms across his chest, the syringe's needle tip pointed carefully away. "Your 'nightmare', as you call it, ends when I..." He paused, then turned his gaze away from Daisuke. "Kondo, get him back on the table. I'm not going to stand here bandying words with him."

"You could at least do him the favor of telling him _why_ you're doing this." Kondo Amaya jerked her head slightly at Pidmon, and the two of them began to help Daisuke along again. His feet and legs scrambled helplessly at the floor as he did his best to get some kind of balance, failing miserably with each attempt.

Daisuke caught sight of Mori's lips twitching as if he thought that was one of the more amusing ideas he might've had recently. "Aw, come on. Even Ken spilled some of his plans to us!" Couldn't he get his feet to behave themselves? This was _embarrassing_! At least no one he knew was here to see him barely able to stand. At least he didn't think they were. Did he know either of them? That in and of itself was lost in a kind of gray fog that seemed to lay over most of his mind. They _seemed_ familiar, but there was absolutely no chance of him remembering where he might've met them.

_I'm lucky if I can remember how to **walk**!_ And he wasn't feeling very lucky at the moment. Like so many other things, that felt far more wrong than he could really express just then.

"Kondo." Mori's voice cut through Daisuke's thoughts, and he lifted his head to try and see what the trouble was. He'd been too busy trying to stand to really notice which way they were going, and now he saw that the woman and Pidmon _hadn't_ been taking him to the table, as he'd halfway thought. "I believe where he belongs is _that_ way." One slender finger pointed to where the table sat behind them all. Daisuke haphazardly craned his head over his shoulder curiously, catching a glimpse of straps and other things to hold someone onto it.

"If it's all the same, I'd rather _not_ go back there," Daisuke declared, managing to get his feet under him and keeping him that way for a few seconds. "This way seems a lot more fun." At least he hoped it would be. Maybe it would be a way out. Or to some answers. He'd take either one.

"Mori, the games have to stop. I know you're getting some kind of sick pleasure out of it, but this is..." Daisuke was almost impressed as Kondo broke off with a single frozen glare from Mori.

"Put him back there." There was no threat. There didn't seem to be a need for one, as Pidmon and Kondo both began to carry him back there. Daisuke stared down at his feet, trying to get a little more purchase on the floor at the same time.

"This is just silly," he muttered to himself. "I can _walk_. That's baby stuff! So why _aren't_ I?"

In rather sharp contrast to most of the questions he'd been asking himself for longer than he was really aware, he got an answer. Pidmon's voice came softly to his ear. "Because you haven't for a while." A thread of pain ran through his words, and Daisuke found himself wondering how this must hurt an angel Digimon. They were always so pure and so devoted to good, at least the ones _he_ knew were.

"Why are you doing this?" He managed to look at Pidmon's helmet, about where the eyes were, or so he assumed. "Why are either of you helping this guy?"

"Kondo has her reasons. She knows what he does is wrong, and so do I." Daisuke could only see the lower part of his face, but that alone was twisted in pain. "I know he's going to hurt later for this. So does Unimon."

Daisuke blinked a little. "Unimon?" He knew what Unimon _were_, but why would one of them being hurt bother Pidmon? Why would it even be brought up in the first place?

"Mori's partner, as I am Amaya's." Daisuke jumped slightly at that. They had Digimon _partners_? They were Chosen Children, like him?

No, they weren't like him. They weren't even like Ken. Ken's plans had been far-reaching and insane. Mori's seemed to be flat out wacko, and completely focused on him. At least for what he could tell. But how could they even _be_ Chosen? Wasn't it supposed to be reserved for a few? He hated not being able to remember. Nothing made any kind of sense at all. Or it made the kind of sense he couldn't get a grip on.

Before he could really form any of the questions running around in his mind into words, Daisuke found himself once more on the table, with the straps being fastened around him. He was able to see where they'd been before on him. It had to have been a while; the marks of the strapping were red and slightly chapped looking. _Where are the others? Shouldn't they have been looking for me?_ That was silly, not only should they have, he _knew_ they had. Ken was probably leading the search.

Or was this some other trick of Ken's? Making him think that the Kaiser _wasn't_ responsible for it when he really was? Putting the blame on innocent people instead of on himself where it belonged. Wouldn't that just be like him?

_No._ The single word formed in his mind, with a depth of conviction he reserved only for things he knew the way you knew your own name, the color of the sky or grass, or things like that. Ken wasn't like that. Not when he was the Kaiser, and not afterward. Especially not afterward.

Daisuke shook his head, trying to get some kind of sense to shake out of it. "After? What the hell am I _thinking_?" He didn't realize he'd said that out loud until he heard Mori chuckling.

"Your brains and memories are Swiss cheese as long as that's what I want, Motomiya." The heels of his boots clicked lightly on the floor as Mori came over to stand beside him, Kondo finishing up the last of the straps at the same time. Light from above gleamed off of the syringe, drawing Daisuke's gaze. Whatever was inside was a sickly blue color, with small flecks of silver inside of it. It looked thick and a little sluggish, and the thought of that being inside of him sent his stomach churning. "Of course that's an improvement over your normal state."

He placed a hand firmly on Daisuke's forehead, as if gauging him for fever or something like that. Daisuke shook his head wearily, doing his best to make the hand move. Mori never so much as twitched, his hand and arm following the movements of Daisuke's head perfectly.

"What do you think you're doing?" Daisuke hoped that the look he was trying to send was menacing. If it was, the strange Chosen, if indeed that's what he _was_, didn't look very menaced. Amused, yes. Menaced, not in the slightest. "What's so _funny_?"

"The thought that even at your best, there was nothing you could, much less _can_ do to stop me. But you just keep on trying. You don't know how to give up." Mori's lips curved, but Daisuke wouldn't have called the expression a smile. "I will tell you this, Motomiya. That stubbornness might've worked to your advantage before, but that's exactly what's going to work in _my_ favor this time. Fight me all you want." He leaned closer, dark eyes gleaming in reflected light, his breath a warm whisper in Daisuke's ear. "Fighting me only lets _me_ win in the end."

"Been there, done that." The flippant words found their way out of Daisuke's mouth without him having to think about it. He was glad _that_ part of himself still seemed to be working. It made things feel a little more normal. Maybe it even stirred up a little hope inside of himself. If he could still mouth off to his enemies, then things were just normal enough so he'd be able to _beat_ them. It had worked before, after all. "You don't think you're the only one who's tried something like this, do you?"

Mori's not-smile became even more of a not-smile. "It doesn't matter how many times something is tried, Motomiya. What matters is who tries the time that _works_. That would be me."

"That's what they all say."

The not-smile wasn't getting any prettier as time went by. Mori didn't waste any more words, though. He raised the syringe, checked it carefully, and tapped it lightly before he returned his full attention to Daisuke. "Kondo. I'm ready."

Cold fear, the kind he was fairly certain he'd never known before, clamped firmly at the base of his spine as Kondo came over with a small sponge and began to wipe at his arm. He was reminded quite a bit of a nurse getting a patient ready to have some kind of injection. Mori wasn't exactly the kind of doctor he would have picked for himself, though. Sanity was kind of a requirement for him for a medical guy.

As she leaned over, her free hand strayed down to the straps keeping Daisuke's right hand tied to the table. His eyes flicked down just for a second, long enough to see her loosening the strap a little. He kept his arm still, not wanting to do anything that would give what she was doing away to Mori. He had no idea if he _could_ get away, but maybe he could at least prevent this stuff from getting inside of him, whatever it was. It couldn't be good for him, he was quite certain of _that_.

Kondo stepped away from him, with Mori taking her place at once. He checked the syringe one more time, then started to lower it to Daisuke's arm. The needle was cold against his skin, and adrenaline replaced common sense in Daisuke's mind. This was a common phenomenon with him, and he knew just what to do now. He jerked his arm up as hard as it could, knocking the syringe away, and planting the most powerful punch he could right on Mori's nose.

Daisuke hadn't exactly been hoping that he'd be able to do the kind of damage to this guy that he'd seen happen in dozens of movies and TV shows. Things just hadn't been working out that way for him lately. This time was no different. There _was_ a little bit of blood, but Mori showed absolutely no signs of being in agonizing pain or of having lost more than an inch or two of that annoying cool.

The syringe, however, was a slightly different story. Daisuke saw where it had fallen to the floor, and a moment later Kondo had stepped down on it as hard as she could. The liquid spilled out an instant or two later, staining the pristine surface, and she smiled ever so sweetly, all but saying out loud 'Oops, did _I_ do that?'

"This is getting to be tiresome." Mori seemed more to be slightly annoyed than anything else. "Kondo, you _are_ aware of what that was used for."

Daisuke couldn't bring himself to care about their interplay. He was too busy picking at the other straps holding him down at the moment. Mori either didn't notice or didn't care what he was doing as he headed away from the table. Daisuke yanked one strap free and bent down to get to the ones on his feet, his fingers fumbling in his haste. _I could use some help here!_ He almost shouted it out loud as he started to squirm off of the table.

"You can go on and run if it means that much to you." Mori spoke quite calmly, and Daisuke's quick ear picked up the sound of typing at the same time. "It certainly won't interfere with anything I have planned. In fact, it just might help me out some. Kondo, Pidmon, if you really feel the need to help him get away, don't let _me_ stop you."

"I know you better than that, Mori." Kondo sounded almost offended at the mere suggestion. "You're not going to let us out of here. None of us."

Daisuke leaned against the table, holding himself up by it. Where was V-mon? He had no idea, nor could he think of where his D-3 or D-Terminal might be. The others had to know he was all right. If he was. Or at least that he wasn't fastened to a table by a mad scientist at the moment. _If they're still there._

For a single, heart stopping moment Daisuke let himself wonder if they were still around. Unless this was yet another dream or illusion or whatever, then it had been _years_ since he'd been a boy of eleven. Who knew what could've happened in that time. It was possible, wasn't it, that the reason he had been left here so long, however long it was, was because there wasn't anyone left to rescue him in the first place. For all he knew, V-mon himself wasn't around anymore.

_Doesn't matter._ Steel replaced fear in his soul. _I'll find **someone** who can help me._ He had to get out of here first, though. If Kondo couldn't or wouldn't help him out on his own, she could at least keep Mori distracted. Whatever he was planning, it couldn't work if Daisuke weren't there for it to work _on_.

He started to step away from the table, arms spread slightly to keep his balance as he did so. Everything around him pitched and turned, and he closed his eyes, trying to keep whatever contents his stomach might have from coming up. He took a careful step, keeping his eyes closed, and that seemed to work better than having them open. At least he couldn't _see_ the floor dancing all around him that way.

There was nothing he could do to stop himself from hearing what they were talking about, though. Most of it made no sense whatsoever, but he could hear it anyway, and an idea slipped into his mind. _As long as I can hear them, I'm not safe. So I have to get where I **can't** hear anything._ He kept on stepping, his hands stretched out before him. Every now and then he waved them a bit, trying to feel if there were anything in front of him that he might trip over or bump into.

"You've really went over the line, Mori. I don't even know how Unimon can stand you." Kondo snorted in contempt. "I don't know how _I've_ stood you all this time. There's nothing left of the Mori I knew way back when."

Typing seemed to be occupying the other's thoughts, as it sped up before he answered. "You say that as if I'm supposed to be bothered by it or something."

"You should be! Don't you even _care_?"

The sound of keys being hit paused briefly. Daisuke wondered for a moment if that meant anything, then it began again. "I suppose it depends on what you're asking that I care about. If you expect me to care about _him_, or Motomiya, you shouldn't even bother to ask the question."

Kondo's snort was back, and the amount of contempt quite nearly tripled this time. "Of course not. I've _only_ known you since you were _four_. What if I asked you about Unimon? Care about _him_?"

"Yes, I do. That has nothing to do with what I'm doing. As it happens, I was planning on a ride tonight, once I've finished for the day. I could use the fresh air. This place is getting a little crowded. It's just as well Motomiya's trying to leave. Having him strapped around made the place look bad. I've been meaning to redecorate, after all."

Daisuke almost stopped and glared, if he hadn't felt his fingertips brushing against what could only be a wall. A quick peek from one half-cracked eye showed he was right. There was a door not that far from where he was standing as well. It might even have been the door Kondo and Pidmon had been trying to lead him too earlier. He glanced over his shoulder to see Kondo standing behind Mori, who was seated in front of a computer. Pidmon was right beside her, and none of them seemed to be paying him that much attention.

Well, that was all right with him. It meant there'd be _someone_ watching Mori. Whether they could do anything about whatever it was he had planned, he had no idea. But at least they were watching him. _Maybe he won't be as nasty or whatever if he's got company._ Daisuke admitted to himself that the odds on that weren't the best. But anything was better than nothing.

He slipped carefully through the door, keeping his fingers on the wall as much as he could. The feel of something solid under them was more reassuring than he'd ever really thought it could be. Their voices behind him faded away to a mild buzz, and soon not even that, as he walked down the hallway he'd found on the other side of the door.

_It would be nice if I had some idea of where I'm going._ The hallway stretched out ahead of him, without any kind of door on any side of it, or anything that looked like an opposite end. He glanced back over his shoulder carefully, glad that things seemed to have stopped dancing around, and just stared. "Um...where did the door go?"

He hadn't been walking all _that_ long, he knew _that_ without a shadow of a doubt. Two minutes, if that. And he hadn't been going that fast, either. He wasn't as unsteady as he'd been when he'd gotten off the table the first time, but still, he wasn't falling all over the place either. He should still have been able to see where he had been.

But the hallway stretched just as far in one direction as it did in the other. He stared at it for a few moments, a nagging feeling of familiarity nibbling at the back edges of his mind. He'd _seen_ this somewhere before. Or something very like this, to the point it was so familiar he actually couldn't think about it.

All right, if things were going to play like that, he'd play along. He kept on going down the hall, the way he'd been going from the start, one hand trailing along it as he did. He noticed absently that it was warm underneath his fingers, almost as if it were some kind of living thing, instead of just a wall. _I wonder if this thing's going to try and come to life and eat me or something._ It would fit with the run of luck he'd been having.

Figuring out how long he'd been walking was harder than he thought after a while. Time and distance started to blend together, and the eternal sameness of the wall, a kind of grayness that dulled both his eyes and his mind, didn't help any. Finally he came to a stop and looked at both sides of the corridor. Then he turned around and stared down it. It was final. No matter which way he looked, _nothing_ was different.

_It's happening again._ Somehow, in some way, whatever had been happening before he'd seen the room with Mori and Pidmon and Kondo had started happening _again_. He couldn't trust his eyes or ears or anything else any more. _How'd he do it, though? I didn't get that stuff in me again, and he was pretty set on it...wasn't he?_ It only made sense that whatever it was in that syringe had been what was sending his brains on those magical mystery tours, or whatever. So shouldn't he be seeing what was _real_ instead of what wasn't now?

He leaned against one side of the corridor, fiddling with his collar as he did. _Okay, I saw that I was older in that mirror. So, that means we're not still fighting Ken. Right?_ It sounded believable. Surely they couldn't take forever to beat him. And he'd never beat _them_.

Wait, what if what he'd seen _then_ had been what wasn't real? What if this was all some trick of _Ken's_, to make him think that their battle was over and he was really a nice guy? What if he were really in some lab of _Ken's_, and the Kaiser was laughing at how well his plan was working? That would be pretty sick and twisted.

He also couldn't bring himself to believe it. Ken just wasn't the kind of person to do something like this. He'd went to a lot of trouble dealing with his deeds as the Kaiser. Even to the point that his worst nightmare had been being killed for them.

_It's happening again._ Daisuke's fingers clutched at the slick wall, sweat springing into existence across his forehead. _I'm remembering things that haven't...didn't...did...that I can't...I..._ Droplets of perspiration rolled down his cheeks and splashed on the floor. He could feel the thick gray mist sliding through his mind, nipping at little pieces of his memory here and there until he couldn't remember what he _remembered_, only what he thought he did or had.

"What's going on..." He slid down until he was seated on the floor, staring at nothing, and seeing even less. His hand came to rest, without asking any kind of instructions from his brain, on the collar. Earlier he'd wanted some kind of answer on why this thing never left him. Now, he clung to it. It was _steady_. It never abandoned him, no matter what. Just like V-mon.

Only V-mon wasn't here now. So maybe it was better? No, that wasn't right, not even close to right. V-mon was one of the best friends he'd ever had, this symbol of whatever it was didn't even come close. V-mon had stuck by him through thick and thin, even when it had hurt them both, or when it had just hurt one of them. All this thing did was make him listen to Ken's commands and occasionally hurt whoever tried to touch it.

"V-mon..." He whispered the name, wanting to see his partner so badly that it hurt. It hurt quite literally, like a stabbing pain in his heart. He could hardly recall just when he'd really seen him. Had that even _been_ him, in anything that he could remember? Daisuke had no idea, and that in itself made it hurt all the worse.

"Daisuke?" His head snapped up at the soft utterance, just barely on the edge of his hearing, and he looked around quickly. He _had_ heard it, he knew he had. "Daisuke?"

"V-mon?" It was his partner's voice, no mistake about it. Daisuke scrambled to his feet and looked around, trying to figure out which direction it had come from. "V-mon, where are you?"

"Daisuke?" All other thoughts vanished from his mind. The only thing that mattered now was finding the small blue dragon. "Daisuke?"

"Stop just saying my name and tell me where you are!" Daisuke shouted, taking a few steps down the way he'd been going. "Ken, if you've got anything to do with this, I'm going to..."

A low laugh echoed all around him, and he froze on the spot. He didn't recognize the sound as being anyone in particular, but he couldn't bring himself to move another inch. Fear filled him just from that first moment. The laugh changed even as he stood in place, shifting almost between one heartbeat and the next to the familiar tones of Ichijouji Ken.

"You're going to do what, Daisuke? Sit at my feet, where you belong, and watch as I do whatever I choose to do, to you, to your friends, to both worlds." He sounded close, almost as if he should be in plain sight, but no matter how hard Daisuke looked, he couldn't find him.

Daisuke clenched his fists harder, resisting the urge to just wildly swing and hope he hit something, or someone. "Where's V-mon? What've you done to him?"

"Come and find me, and you'll find him. I don't promise you can do anything, but you'll have him, at least." _And I'll have **you**_ was implicit in the Kaiser's tones. Daisuke slammed a fist into the wall, staring at the unyielding surface. "That didn't accomplish much, did it? Playing by my rules is the only way for you to win, you know."

"No, I _don't_ know that!" Daisuke snapped as harshly as he could. Whatever Ken had in mind, he had no intentions of falling for it. He was pretty sure he'd thought that before, though. More times than he could remember. _But since I can barely remember what happened last week, that's not saying too much._ "Are you the one playing games with my head or is it the other guy?" Whoever the other guy was. The name escaped him, but he knew he'd known it just a little while earlier, when he'd come into this hallway. But now the name drifted just out of reach, with that floaty, almost but not quite there kind of feeling that drove him out of his mind. Thinking about him gave Daisuke the same sensations of fear that he'd felt when he'd heard the laugh the first time.

"Come and find out." Ken's soft laugh echoed all around, seeming to fade into the distance. Daisuke headed down the corridor, picking up speed with each step. All of his dazedness from earlier was forgotten or just gone. He didn't know which, and it didn't matter any longer. V-mon was there somewhere, and his answers had to be with him. Even if that meant he had to be with Ken again. For all he knew, this was something Ken _and_ the other person were doing together. Playing with his head, making him doubt his own sanity, making him think what it was they wanted him to think for whatever reasons they had. Ken's voice hadn't stopped, and actually was getting clearer the farther he went down the corridor. "Come and find out, Daisuke. Come and find me."

If Daisuke hadn't been looking so hard for something, anything to happen, he might've missed it when something actually _did_. The slick walls had been lit from above all this time, though he hadn't ever actually seen anything like a light bulb up there. He wasn't looking now, either. Ahead was what mattered, not above. But now, the light was fading, and darkness was closing in all around him.

The darker it got, the more slowly he went, until at last he stood still, unable to see where he was going. "More tricks, Ken? Hiding in the dark isn't your style. There's not enough attention there for you, I think."

"Who said I was hiding anywhere? I've got all the attention I could ever want, and all of it's coming from you. As for the darkness, if you find me, you'll have all the light you could ever need or want. Can't you do something that simple?"

Daisuke stared into the shadows, teeth grinding, then started forward again. Even if he couldn't see, the last thing he'd seen had been the corridor going on and on forever. He had a good enough memory to remember _them_, and his hand on the wall would make certain he didn't bump into anything. Ken wouldn't be nasty enough to put a hole or something in the middle, would he? "I'm coming, V-mon. You'd better be there."


	10. The Turning Point

_**Legal Disclaimer:** All characters within are the legal property of Toei Entertainment, or were inspired by such. This is done only for amusement.  
**Series Title:** Fade In, Fade Out  
**Chapter Title:** The Turning Point  
**Romance:** Ken/Daisuke  
**Rated:** T_

Dark. Dark. More dark. And then, just for some variety, there were shadows. Deep dark ones. Ken really needed to seek professional help when it came to his decorating tastes, if he was the one who had fixed this place up in the first place. Daisuke couldn't be certain. It _felt_ like it was Ken's fortress, but his feelings really weren't anything to be depended on anymore.

He couldn't hear V-mon anymore. The sad cries had died out not that long ago. Ken wasn't talking to him either. If he'd had to pick between the two, he would much rather have heard V-mon. He'd much rather have _been_ with V-mon, and been as far away from this place and all the confusing confusions as possible.

So thick were the shadows around him that when they finally parted and light burst into being all around him, Daisuke _still_ couldn't see. He jumped a little, freezing in place, and tried to cover his furiously stinging eyes with one hand. "That was _not_ funny!"

"I was rather amused by it." Ken's voice. Of course. Who else would it have been?

_The other's_. It wasn't so much a voice in his mind as it was a simple awareness. He had no idea what to call it, only that it just said those two words, and then faded away. Daisuke shook his head a little; he was losing it. Badly.

Well, he knew how this kind of thing went. Memories were flickering through his mind, himself and Ken, over and over, always with Ken being stronger, more powerful, dominant, sneering at him with that peculiar light in his eyes. He knew where he'd heard the voice coming from and he started over there, still carefully taking each step one at a time so he wouldn't risk falling.

He couldn't have said how he knew, but he wasn't surprised when he dropped down on his knees, and felt Ken's unmistakeable presence beside him. A quickly outstretched hand brushed against the side of the throne, then he stiffened. Someone _else's_ hand was touching the top of his head.

"I suppose next you're going to tell me that I'm well trained or something?" He just sighed the words out. The script was being followed, and he was almost too tired to care. As much as it burned in him to just let all of it happen and _not_ fight, he was so tired of it all. No matter which way he turned, he always ended up right back here anyway. He was stubborn, but he wasn't stupid. He had a vague notion of when to quit. He'd just never thought it would end up like _this_.

Ken only laughed, not moving his hand, just touching the tips of Daisuke's hair. "Why should I bother with what we both know?" Traditional cocky Kaiser remark. Yes, he had the script memorized as well as Daisuke did. He'd probably had it memorized _before_ Daisuke had as well. Just to annoy him.

"So where's V-mon?" He wasn't going to forget his real goals that easily. He noticed somewhere in his mind vaguely that he was rubbing his lower left cheek. Wasn't there supposed to be something other than smooth skin there?

"There." Daisuke looked up, noting briefly that he was able to see more now. The blinding light hadn't _quite_ ripped his sight away permanently, though it had definitely done a good job of trying. He blinked a few times, waiting for the stinging to finally stop, and then finally saw where he was.

It was almost exactly where he'd thought he'd be. Right where this had all begun, at least as far as he was sure it had. In Ken's fortress throne room. Floating in front of him were Ken's monitors, and all of them showed the same image: V-mon, with an Evil Spiral firmly clamped around one arm. There was the familiar red tinge of those who were under the Kaiser's control around his eyes as well. Daisuke clenched his fists, longing more than anything to rip that thing off of his partner and shove it into Ken's face. Or perhaps through his face. That had an appeal to it.

"Well, are you _happy_ now, Ken? You've got both of us right where you want us." Daisuke growled the words out, glaring up at the violet-eyed boy beside him. Ken glanced down towards him calmly, then reached out to place one gloved hand on Daisuke's lips.

"You have no idea how happy this makes me, Daisuke. I know you're going to keep fighting me, even in the smallest of ways. I want that." His voice was a mere whisper. "The more you fight me, the stronger I become."

_"I will tell you this, Motomiya. That stubbornness might've worked to your advantage before, but that's exactly what's going to work in **my** favor this time. Fight me all you want." He leaned closer, dark eyes gleaming in reflected light, his breath a warm whisper in Daisuke's ear. "Fighting me only lets **me** win in the end." _

_The memory flashed through his mind like a bolt of fire, and Daisuke jerked away, eyes round with shock. Who had that been? It wasn't Ken, that was obvious. This person was older, hadn't bothered with concealing their face, and had an entirely different voice. The attitude was identical, down to the last bit, though. _

_"Get back here, Daisuke." Ken's command was, as usual, obeyed without the slightest bit of thought on Daisuke's part. The collared boy found himself seated once more beside Ken, his eyes lowered and his emotions in turmoil. "Tell me what you're thinking about." _

_This instant obedience could get really annoying. "When you said that it makes you stronger the more I fight you, I had a vision or something. I saw someone else who said just about the same thing. That me fighting him only lets him win in the end. I was wondering who it was." _

_Ken said nothing, but his fingers began to toy through Daisuke's hair. The other boy fought hard to keep his mind from sliding away under the caress, digging his nails into his skin. I have to think! I have to know what's going on! _

_"I am the only one you need to think about, Daisuke." There was no edge of command there. It was merely a simple statement of fact. At the same moment, Daisuke felt the collar tightening slightly around his neck. "I am the only one you will think about. Your obedience to me is the central factor of your life." _

_Daisuke ground his nails harder into his skin and did what he could to pull away. He made more progress than he ever had before with that. He inched a full inch away before Ken's hand tightened just enough to keep him where he was. _

_"I'm not going to have to teach you with another method, am I?" That insufferable smugness was about to make Daisuke hurt something. Or someone. Ken himself came fairly high on the list of those who would be damaged. "I've been quite generous with you so far. Don't make me regret it." _

_Pain began to radiate downward from his neck, scorching along his nerves for a brief instant or two. Daisuke flinched away, then straightened up as something else swept through him. It had been so long since he felt it, it took a few seconds before he could name it, but it was there. _

_Free. _

_He didn't feel the compulsion to do what Ken said, no matter what. He could think for himself. He wanted out of this place, and he knew he would get out of it. Nothing could stand in his way for long. His friends would be there when he got out, no matter how much time had passed. Even if it had been a thousand years, somehow he'd find them again. It didn't matter that it didn't make sense, what mattered was the faith he had in them, and the faith he knew they had in him. _

_With that faith came a second surge, something that ripped the pain away and replaced it with a warmth that filled him from the inside out. Only now did he realize that when he had armor-evolved Lighdramon, there had been nothing inside of him like there usually was. There had been the flash of light, but the feeling of the Digimental itself... _

_It hadn't been there. That should've been his first clue that something was going wrong around here. No, wait, there were a lot weirder things going on before that. He touched the collar lightly, ignoring the hand going through his hair, and wondered briefly where his goggles were. Had Ken really broken them? Or had someone else? Or were they even broken at all? _

_There'd been even more things than that. The fact Ken kept doing this. The way that his mind shattered and floated whenever the Kaiser touched him. He wasn't a pet, who got his only pleasure from his master's touch. He was a Chosen Child, who fought against evil wherever it intruded into the Digital World, in whatever form it decided to take. _

_"Look, Ken, this was really great, but I've got to be going. I've got answers to find, and you're not giving them to me, so thanks but no thanks. I'm out of here." _

_Daisuke surged up to his feet, snapping the leash away from the Kaiser before anything could stop him. He didn't dare wonder about what could happen if he were right, or wrong. Either way, Ken could stop him. The real Ken had reflexes to put a cat to shame, and in this screwed up world of the mind or illusion, this Ken might have even better ones. Or worse, he might still be able to stop Daisuke with a word. If that happened... _

_Well, no time to worry about that now! He charged for the door, scampering as fast as his feet could take him. It was almost there, almost within his reach, and then his hands closed on the edges of it. He was through it, and halfway down the hall before he tried looking behind him. _

_The corridor stretched on in both directions for what looked like forever, white as ivory on all sides, up and down and all around. There were no doors, and it was all as straight as an arrow, no curves or offshoots or anything. Daisuke stared both ways, then took a step back the way he'd come. _

_This is too weird. Even for Ken. Even for the Digital World. _

_Maybe it really wasn't Ken. There was always Demon, after all. He could've found a way back, and who knew what kind of wacko powers he'd have after all that time in the Dark Ocean. They'd never even been able to defeat him the first time. But why would he do something like this? Not that Daisuke could pin down offhand just what was going on. _

_Then there was the possibility of that other person. The one he'd thought of while he was beside Ken. Of course he had even less of an idea on why they would do this than anyone else. And even if he knew why, there was always how that he had to figure out. _

_"Oh, why bother?" Daisuke finally decided, starting down the hall briskly. "I'll just find out what's going on when I do, and play it by ear from then on." It had worked before. Lots of times. Of course some of the time it had involved a great deal of pain of multiple kinds, but things tended to work out in the end anyway. That was what really counted. Besides, he didn't exactly have any other options at the moment. _

_Within three steps of his resolution, everything changed around him. Daisuke stared at it, shaking his head slowly. Someone somewhere had a very twisted sense of...something. What had been a simple white corridor now spread out before him in a maze that would've made that guy who drew some of the really weird and screwy paintings of labyrinths run for the headache medicine. Hallways turned back on themselves, doors led into other doors, stairs went nowhere, and there was nothing that resembled a way out. "Someone has definitely been watching too many bad American movies." _

_He jerked around to stare behind him, jaw dropping at what he saw. Someone somewhere, somehow, had to be doing this on purpose. He'd been suspecting that anyway, but the fact that not only was everything in front of him a labyrinth from hell, but everything behind him was as well tipped the scales in favor of confirmation. All he needed now was some kind of weird dwarf to show up and start grumping at him. He'd pass all the same, if it were up to him. _

_Okay, this means I have to get through this. I guess. Daisuke looked back over the maze, trying to see anything that might resemble a clue. If there was one in there, it was hiding extremely well. "I hate things like this." Ken had absolutely loved them, though. He adored things that could make him think, challenge his mind so it would get back to the way it was. Not that it really ever had, but Daisuke had never minded. He liked Ken just the way he was. _

_The cinnamon-haired teen sighed to himself. He wanted this whole mess over with, just so he could figure out what he was thinking that was real and what was someone else's idea of a fun time with his head. He wanted to have his idea of fun, which involved anything from soccer to blowing up things on his game system to hanging out with a small group of people and Digimon in the Digital World. Or just bothering his sister if he got the chance. That was always good for a laugh or ten. _

_I don't want to do this. Daisuke stared out at the infinite appearing maze, his fists clenching as he sought any sort of shortcut or answer. I **really** don't want to do this. Where was V-mon? Where were the others? Being on his own wasn't a feeling he liked all that much. Chills whispered down his spine as that solitude began to press in all around him. _

_Pain shot through his hands as he clenched them again, and he looked down to see the half-crescents where his fingers had dug in while he was trying to escape Ken. That was real? He touched one lightly, wincing even more as the agony increased. Yeah, that was real. Ken might or might not have been, but this was. It was something to hold on to that he'd given himself, unlike the collar. _

_As if the thought of that had somehow made the collar, or whoever it was that was responsible for it, more 'aware', the band began to tighten faintly around his neck. Daisuke seized onto it, doing his best to loosen it. I have to get this thing off of me. If I can find someone, maybe they can do it. Hopefully whoever he found, if anyone, wasn't going to be the person who had put it on him in the first place. That was the kind of luck he'd been having time and time again. _

_Time... The word echoed around in his mind as it had an importance he hadn't yet figured out yet. This time. Time and time again. All those times I found myself somewhere and had no idea on where I was or how I'd gotten there. They had something in common that wasn't the collar or that Ken was almost always there. _

_They'd always ended in time. And the time wasn't all that long, either. The more he thought about things, the more he began to pick up on some patterns. There was always a build-up and some point where things just seemed to stop, and when he was aware of things again, they'd changed. Sometimes a great one, sometimes not, but that was how things had been going. _

_So maybe if I just wait here, this'll end too? No, things couldn't be that simple. Even if they did end, he couldn't control what would happen next, and that was what he knew he needed to do. Somehow, in some way, he had to find reality. Wherever it was. If such a thing even existed anymore. He'd never had any idea that figuring out the meaning of everything would be such a pain. It had all been so simple before. Friends, family, and fun, and that was all he'd ever needed. None of those were giving him any help right now. _

_Daisuke... His name floated somewhere between his ears and his mind, in a voice that he'd heard all too recently. Daisuke, where are you? Are you here? _

_"Ken?" His fists clenched automatically as he tried to pull the word back behind his lips. Even if it was Ken, he had no idea if it was a Ken he wanted to talk to. Or even if it was Ken. How could he be sure? Too many deceptions, too many things twisting his mind around... _

_Daisuke! Daisuke! I think I heard him! The voice seemed like Ken's, warm and caring and full of a special kind of emotion that Daisuke feared to name, only it was stronger, deeper, and fuller, an older and more mature voice. I think he's here! _

_Then came something else, something he hadn't heard in a while. Ken, be careful. I know you want to find him, but we have to think logically. It was Iori. He could remember seeing the younger boy in one of those moments, not long after this has begun, but this voice was different, as different as his own reflection had been, and changed by the same way: time. _

_Daisuke's eyes darted all around, to the sides, above, behind, anywhere he could look. The same thing met his gaze every time: the boundless maze. No Ken. No Iori. No one and nothing but something laid out to confuse and disorient him. Typical. _

_"Where did you think you heard him?" This time it was Takeru, and his voice had went through the same changes that Iori's and Ken's had. "Are you feeling anything, V-mon?" _

_V-mon! Daisuke lurched himself to his feet, leaning on one of the walls for support as his legs tried to fall from underneath him. "V-mon! Can you hear me? Can any of you hear me?" _

_"I hear him!" It was V-mon, and his voice hadn't changed, it was still the same wonderful voice, full of life and caring that it had always been. "Where are you, Daisuke?" _

_That was a really good question. Daisuke would've loved to have an answer for it himself. "I'm not really sure. All I can see is a maze. A really nasty one, too." _

_"A maze?" Ken's baffled tones caressed Daisuke's ears like golden balm. This was the Ken his heart had yearned for when he'd been staring into the Kaiser's eyes. The Ken that, underneath all the illusions and masks and whatever else had been going on, he had been looking for. Answers began to tease on the edge of his awareness, ready to collapse over him at a moment's notice. "There's no maze around here." _

_"With everything else that's going on, I wouldn't be surprised if he's seeing something we're not." Koushirou's clipped, informative tones, the same ones he used every time he was on the verge of a solution no one else could see. "He could be right next to us and if the conditions were performed properly, we couldn't see him, or he us." _

_A snort that could only have come from Yamato. "I think that's pretty obvious, Koushirou, since that's what's actually happening." _

_His friends. They were all there, all looking for him. Well, at least he'd heard some of them. He was certain they were all there, though. The warm spot inside of him that was their friendship grew only stronger with every second, with every word he could hear of them muttering to themselves about where they were, where he was, and what was going on. Most of it he couldn't hear clearly enough, but it didn't matter. Understanding wasn't what he wanted. Just hearing did all he could have imagined and more. _

_"How long has this been going on?" Daisuke asked, hoping for an answer that made sense. "I don't even remember how long I've been gone. If I've been gone." He hated sounding so plaintive, but it was true. Besides, if you couldn't whine with your friends, who could you whine with? _

_It was Ken who answered, and Daisuke melted almost to the point of puddleization at that. "We haven't seen you in almost two weeks. We have no idea where you've been, or where you are now, for that matter. I just woke up and you weren't there that morning." _

_"Woke up?" Was he hearing that right? Was Ken implying that he'd expected to find Daisuke there when he'd woken up? He could still feel those answers hovering in his mind, as if behind the thinnest of barriers. What could shred it? What would shred it? Could it be shredded? _

_"Right. I hunted all over the apartment for you, but it was like you'd just vanished." Pain wove all in the voice, and clutched at Daisuke's heart. "There wasn't any sign of a forced entry or anything. I'd thought you'd just left for something, but you ..." Ken hesitated, the ache increasing syllable by syllable, "you never came back." _

_Koushirou interrupted what might've been an extremely touching moment. Daisuke made a note to get back at him at some point. Maybe screwing up his next date with Miyako. Huh? Oh, that's right. Two years now. Huh. At least I remembered something that didn't have to do with me. Maybe the rest of it's wearing off? Whatever it is. He pulled his attention back to what the older redhead was saying, or tried to. _

_"Um, could you repeat that?" He had been being mind-screwed for almost fourteen days now. He couldn't be expected to pay that much attention, could he? _

_"What have you been going through, from your point of view?" Koushirou repeated, sounding a bit annoyed. Oh, so that was what he wanted. That was easy enough. _

_"Well, I'm not all that sure. I can't remember a whole lot." He hesitated, should he tell them everything? If this was yet another trick, if things had changed and he hadn't noticed, this could all be meaningless. I have to try. "The last thing I'm really sure of is Iori getting the Digimental of Faith. After that, everything's really blurry." He fidgeted a little, wishing he could see more than the twisting corridors and trees all around him. Hearing and not seeing was absolutely nuts. "Except for a few places, I mean. I remember being with Ken...the Kaiser...um...I'm not really sure how to describe it." _

_He couldn't even hear them talking to each other, if they were. Had they just stopped talking? Were they not there anymore? Daisuke ran things over in his mind, hoping that the fact he could still remember talking them meant something. _

_"Daisuke..." Ken again, and full of both wonder and fright. "I haven't been the Kaiser in nearly nine years. How old do you think we are?" _

_He hated how hopeless he sounded right now. It just wasn't him. "I don't even know anymore. I've seen us in school, just like we were kids. I've seen myself in a mirror, grown up. Nineteen, twenty, at least." He rubbed the lower left side of his face. "And I've got scars in that reflection." _

_"Of course you've got scars! They're on your face!" Miyako's sharp tones couldn't have changed, no matter what. It added a sense of familiarity that made things a little more normal in his mind. "A rogue Togemon blasted you with his needles there. You've had the scars ever since." She snorted openly. "You kept wondering if they'd make you look hideous, but once the bandages came off, you liked them. Kept saying that they make you look 'rakishly handsome and experienced.'" _

_Yeah, that sounded like him to him. It sounded more like him than anything the Kaiser had been saying the last few times they'd run into each other. The warmth that was his friendship and his confidence in that friendship was getting stronger and stronger. _

_"Is there anything else?" Koushirou overrode his girlfriend's annoyed tones. "Anything that could help us get this solved?" _

_Daisuke ran things through his mind as quickly as he could. There had to be something. Wait, he knew! "It's a little fuzzy, but I think I might know what's going on. Kind of." _

_"Don't keep it to yourself!" Yamato's patience was obviously reaching its limit. "Spill it!" _

_"Like I said, it's fuzzy, but I think I met whoever is doing this. I can't remember his name or what he looked like, but he was kind of like you used to be, Ken. All...arrogant and stuck up." Daisuke racked his brain, seeking anything else that could help. "I think I've been running from him, but I can't remember why. Or why he'd let me run if he has been keeping me all this time." _

_Koushirou grumbled softly, "I wish you could remember more. If I know who is doing this, I might be able to figure out more of how they're doing it and how we can get ourselves back into the same plane of reference. There isn't much we can do until we can all see each other. Then I can find out exactly what kind of physical and mental changes have been done to you and how to reverse them, if possible." _

_"Don't tell me 'if possible'," Daisuke stepped forward, turning automatically in the direction the genius' voice seemed to be coming from. "I've been putting up with reality being Swiss cheese for way too long, Koushirou." _

_"Relax, Daisuke, please," Ken interrupted his rant, his voice soothing and relaxing. "We'll find a way to get this all fixed, I promise. You'll be back with us in no time." _

_Daisuke couldn't bring himself to say anything that would deny Ken's promise. He wanted to believe it, the way people believe in air and light and reality. "I know you will." He did. They'd done stranger things. "If I remember anything else, I'll let you know, I promise." _

_"No, I'm terribly afraid that you won't be telling them, Daisuke." The voice was unfamiliarly familiar. He knew he'd heard it somewhere, but where he couldn't decide. "I was willing to let you roam around free, but inviting unwanted guests into my kingdom is really quite rude. You're going to have to come back now. I've got some nice things prepared for you so this won't happen again." Thoughtfulness touched the voice. "I see I did make a mild error in having you go unleashed, but that's easily repaired." _

_In between one word and the next, the voice changed from a stranger's to something as familiar as his own heartbeat. "It's time to come back home, Daisuke. I've missed you." The Kaiser spoke firmly, and Daisuke found himself walking back the way he'd come. The last thing he heard was a fading and familiar voice. _

_"Daisuke!"_


	11. The Silver Collar

_**Legal Disclaimer:** All characters within are the legal property of Toei Entertainment, or were inspired by such. This is done only for amusement.  
**Series Title:** Fade In, Fade Out  
**Chapter Title:** The Silver Collar  
**Romance:** Ken/Daisuke  
**Rated:** T_

"Daisuke!" The word echoed in his mind repeatedly, but he didn't pay any attention to it. As much as the voice felt like someone's that he should know, he couldn't bring himself to really listen to it. "Daisuke, _no_!"

Another voice slithered into his mind, cool, calculated, and calm. "Come to me, Daisuke. This is where you belong, where you've always belonged. You know that more than anyone."

Yes, that was true. He belonged with that speaker, with the Kaiser. Who else knew him so well, inside and out? Who else called to his soul the way _he_ did? No one. No one at all. Just the Kaiser, Ichijouji Ken.

_Ken..._ His footsteps faltered a little, and he started to look behind him. Ken knew him that well. Maybe even better, because of all the times they'd shared over the years.

There it was again, something that couldn't be tearing into his mind. He pressed his hands to his temples, trying to make some sort of sense of it all. He'd heard something that made sense once, and he _had_ to get that back. Warmth had been all around him, caring and friendship, commitment and loyalty, that all had for everyone, and that everyone had for _every_one. The words didn't make sense to anyone but him, he knew. That was what mattered, though. He was confusing himself more than whatever was going on outside his head was confusing _him_.

"Daisuke." The Kaiser's voice came again, commanding him to hear and obey. "Daisuke, I don't want to wait for you much longer. You will obey me."

He started walking again, becoming more and more aware of the corridor he was going down as he did. This was the Kaiser's fortress. No other place looked remotely like it. He couldn't help but wonder why he was expecting to see something different, though. One hand drifted up to touch the collar around his throat, familiar and unfamiliar. He hadn't had this weeks earlier, but like so much else, there was a contradiction to it: he couldn't remember not having it. His life had really begun to suck over the last few days.

Then the corridor vanished from around him, replaced by a throne room. It was different from the last few times he'd been here. Instead of a simple chair with the screens everywhere, a much grander seat was placed upon a pedestal, with five steps leading up to it. Each step had a different design on it, and he stared at them, trying to figure them out. Then he knew.

The first step held the Crest of Hope carved into it, with the second having the Crest of Light. Then on the third were the Crests of Faith and Knowledge, and the fourth, the Crests of Love and Purity. The Crests of all the other Chosen...except...

There was one more step. He slowly lifted his eyes to it, catching a glimpse of the Kaiser's cloak briefly. He was quite certain the throne had been empty when he'd first seen it. Just another example of how his mind wasn't something he could really count on right now.

There were the final symbols: Courage and Friendship, carved right over where the Kaiser's feet rested, as if he were standing firmly on them. Not to let them support him, but showing his dominance over them, how he had crushed them. Daisuke raised his head just enough to see the confidant gleam of violet eyes behind those glasses, then he was crumpled on his knees beside the throne.

"So glad for you to have rejoined me, Daisuke. You were getting quite out of hand out there. You might've upset my plans a little." That hand was on his head again, and what thoughts he'd managed to collect scattered to the winds as the Kaiser's fingers caressed each individual strand of his hair. "You wouldn't want to do that, would you?"

Daisuke couldn't get his brain cells together enough to answer anything, but the Kaiser didn't really appear to be waiting for one. He stared downward, the cold silver of his collar still against his fingertips. He hadn't even noticed that he was still touching it.

"Such a piece of work." The Kaiser's other hand tugged lightly at the collar. "Or should that be two pieces of work?" he mused. "Your mind and this collar."

The cinnamon haired boy took a long breath, forcing the words he wanted to ask out of his mouth. "What...is that thing? The collar?"

"So you can still think." There was a trace of displeasure in the tone, and Daisuke could feel words of apology rising to his lips. The last thing he wanted was the Kaiser angry with him. He was responsible for everything in his life, and he _had_ to get on his good side. Did the Kaiser have a good side? "The collar. A device of mine, I'm sure you realized that."

Daisuke wanted to say he wasn't that stupid, but it was taking all he could do just to focus on the fact the Kaiser was even saying something to him, answering his questions. He listened intently, soaking up every scrap of information he could. It would all be useful, to someone, if he could just get it to them.

"It doesn't really control you, you know," the Kaiser toyed with Daisuke's hair again, but the words stood out as nothing else could have in his distracted brain. "It has an effect on you, but that's not it." The Kaiser rather enjoyed boasting about himself and his greatness. "As long as you wear this collar, and you will always wear it, then your reality is _mine_ to sculpt in any way that I choose."

That explained quite a bit right there. _So that's why things just fade and change the way they do. That's what he's been **wanting** to happen._ Daisuke could feel his mind stirring again, but he didn't move an inch away from the brain-numbing touch.

"I doubt it will do much harm to tell you anything I choose now." Gloved fingers caressed over and over, and Daisuke could feel his brains aching to scatter all over again. "In the words of countless failed villains, there truly isn't anything _you_ can do to stop me. And those who might have a chance...don't, because I've already won."

Daisuke had no idea how many villains had said things like that, but he was pretty sure if you counted all the anime, manga, television shows, books, and such things in the world, the number was fairly impressive. And as far as _he_ knew, they'd always failed. Which meant this guy was going to be doing the same thing. All that he had to do was figure out just how spectacularly he was going to help the pretend-Kaiser screw up.

"I can almost imagine what you're thinking," the Kaiser murmured, his hand lifting from Daisuke's head to toy with a keyboard before him suddenly. The room shifted around them both, becoming something a little different. There was still a throne, and still a keyboard there, but it wasn't quite like Ken's old base of operations, or what he'd just seen. "You're wondering just what it is I'm planning."

Actually, if the truth had been known, Daisuke was wondering just what kind of psychotic mind kept changing things all around himself like this, but he wasn't all that particular about what the enemy wanted to babble about. He just remained where he was, ears pricked up and listening for all he was worth.

"I have many plans, Motomiya. Only an idiot has only _one_ thing on the fire." Daisuke definitely didn't believe _that_. One of the first things Ken had enjoyed about not being under the Spore's control was the ability to _single-task_ instead of multitask. He'd really liked not having to worry about two dozen or so things all at the same time. Daisuke remembered hearing him say that more times than he could conveniently count.

He froze ever so slightly, his mind forging a connection. _I remember talking to Ken after he's not the Kaiser. I remember being his **friend** after that. Best friend._ There was another dimension to that, something more that he wasn't getting yet, but he'd take things one step at a time. And if that meant catering to this guy's ego, then he'd do it. He would've balked at this when he was eleven, but he was quite certain of something else now: he wasn't eleven any longer, no matter how many memories he might've lost. And that was exactly what he wanted to find out.

"How...are you doing this?" There was no pretence in the pauses between words. It _ached_ to talk, and he had to quite nearly drag each word out from his lips. "Why can't I...remember?"

The Kaiser, which Daisuke decided he would call him until he could remember some other name to call him by, laughed a little, one hand being placed on Daisuke's back. "You've done it to yourself, in a sense. I only offered. _You_ were the one who took the offers. Every time, I might add."

Daisuke closed his eyes, gathering his strength. There had to be a single word to sum all of this up. He didn't know if he could really get himself together enough to spin a sentence that was any longer. Wait, he knew it. "Offers?"

"Have a mushroom, Daisuke?" The Kaiser's voice caressed his name, possessively and with a hint of pride. "Surely you remember." A cold, cruel laugh. "Of course you wouldn't. Because of what they are."

Mushroom...mushroom...something Koushirou had mentioned, hadn't it been? Or someone else? Taichi? Takeru? He couldn't think of which it had been. Somewhere in the center of his stomach, something was churning and squirming, as if a knot of worms was in there and wanted out. He had to remember...hadn't there been something in some of the visions about mushrooms? Mushrooms of what...

Another laugh, and he could quite literally see the image of a bowl of mushrooms floating in front of him. "See the Mushrooms of Forgetfulness, Daisuke. They'll remove all your memories if you eat one. And you've had quite a few, in some form or another, since you were brought to me." The image vanished quickly, and Daisuke blinked. Unusual day, to say the least. "If you really want to know, I'll need something from you."

Daisuke blinked; how had he _ever_ thought this guy was anything like the real Ken. When Ken was in control, he'd never had that half-sexy, half-insane edge to him. He'd just been insane most of the time. Of course, looking back, he had to admit the tight fitting digital spandex looked damned good on the blue-haired overachiever, and he'd wondered time and time again how to bring up the question of Ken trying that on again, or some variation of it, anyway.

It was just as well that he didn't bother asking just what it was this new Kaiser wanted. Shaping the question would've been hard enough, much less focusing enough on the answer _and_ thinking of just how to ask what the Kaiser wanted.

"Don't think I actually do something as silly as _love_ you, though." The Kaiser half-hissed as he pulled Daisuke onto his lap, twisting his head around to stare at him. "This is just a means to an end, just like everything else." Yeah, definite villain material. He talked too much. "But I am going to have you. The math is simplistic enough even for you to follow. When you are mine, then you're not his. One of his greatest possessions will be taken from him. I believe you can understand that, can you not?"

Confusion had to be this guy's middle name. In fact, it should probably be his only name. "No..."

"Of course. I shouldn't expect that much of you. Pretty fire, that's all you are." A low, twisted laugh came out of him. "Tamed fire, of course. But that's really all you are." There was a quiet pause. "But I'll tell you anyway." More than a hint of smugness filled his tone, and Daisuke ground his teeth lightly.

_Only reason he's saying anything is because he can take away the memory with more Mushrooms if he doesn't like how it comes out._ It was just as well that Ken had never tried those things on all of them. He would've won in no time flat if he had. Maybe that was why this guy had been on top of this situation for so long. If you couldn't remember, you couldn't fight.

"I've extracted the juice of the Mushrooms and combined them into different levels of strength, and been able to refine them with repeated applications. Thus, I've been modifying your memory over the last two weeks." The Kaiser drummed his fingers against the arm of the throne. "It took a while to get everything sorted out, really. But you're an excellent test subject, Daisuke. You react so unpredictably...predictably."

Huh? Oh, genius talk for the way he himself didn't know from one second to another what he was going to do. Good to know it had a name, other than driving almost everyone around him crazy.

"I found a point in your life where you would believe the images I wanted you to, and erased everything after that. I'm sure you've noticed a few discrepancies in your memories, though." The Kaiser's fingers kept on drumming. "The process isn't perfect yet. I'll keep on working with it, though. It shouldn't be _too_ much longer before I have your mind shaped just the way I want it. Then he'll have lost you forever, and I'll be one step closer to the victory I want."

"What...kind of victory?" That came easier than he'd thought it would. Maybe whatever it was that was sapping his strength and active brain cells was easing off? The Kaiser hadn't actually touched his head for a few minutes, after all. That was a plus, it seemed. "Over who?"

"My dear, there's no reason to tell you _everything_, even with a dose of the Mushroom Elixir to remove the information afterwards. If you missed it, the formula isn't perfect yet. You'll remember things I don't want you to, and I'm not yet ready for him to even have a _hint_ of the full extent of my scheme." A sly smirk lay underneath the words. "But if you can figure it out for yourself, I might let you keep the knowledge. For a little while, at any rate."

Daisuke felt the weight of cold eyes on the back of his head, clouding his mind. Who could it be?

If he'd had a hand to spare, instead of both of them keeping him somewhat supported on the floor, he would've hit himself in the head. Of _course_ he knew who it was. He didn't need all of his memories to figure that one out. "It's as plain...as the glasses on your face, Kaiser. Or whoever you are. You're trying to take what you can away from Ken."

Did that mean in the memories he couldn't remember, he was more to Ken than just a best friend? After all, stealing a friend wasn't nearly as devastating as stealing someone who was much more than that. His fingers worked slowly across the marble floor beneath him as he battered against the gray fog twirling its way across his mind. On the other side of that were all the memories and all the life he could have ever wanted, and then some. If only there were a way through it...

"Well done. You're not quite as stupid as I'd thought you were." The voice seemed to be changing a little, getting deeper, becoming more of an adult's voice than a child's. "Then again, I'm not entirely certain if that would be possible. Yes, Ichijouji is the one that I want to crush so completely that even a memory of him won't exist in this world or on Earth. He took something that I valued more than anything in the world, and I _won't_ let him get away with that."

Raw fury was written into those words, and Daisuke winced, pulling away as he did. "You shouldn't let revenge run your life," he murmured quietly, lifting his head to stare into eyes of richest brown. "It never works out in the end."

"I believe you'll find that you're quite wrong, and I am quite right this time, Motomiya," the Kaiser ran his fingers through Daisuke's hair quite deliberately, watching intently to see what happened. "This is more than just revenge, this is justice. You believe in justice, don't you? In setting things right that were made wrong?"

Daisuke shook his head slowly, pulling it away from the maddening touch. "I believe in doing what's right, and hurting someone else isn't ever right!"

"You may have to rethink that. Or let me rethink it for you. I'm quite good at thinking for others. I've been doing it for Kondo for years." The Kaiser pulled Daisuke's head back to him and began to play again. "I'll have to think for you now. I have a feeling that repeated applications of the Mushrooms could have a very bad side effect or two."

"Like?" He pulled his head back again, only to hear a clink of chains. A length of steel had attached itself from the collar to the side of the throne, and it stiffened almost as soon as he looked at it. He wouldn't be moving again any time soon. "What kind of side effects?"

The Kaiser shrugged briefly. "Insanity. Total memory loss, leaving you as nothing more than a blank slate for me to program in any way that I choose. Perhaps even death, though I'd rather that didn't happen."

_You're not the only one_. Daisuke turned his head this way and that, but the unmoving steel kept him right where the Kaiser wanted him. At least he wasn't being petted now. That was something else he wanted to know about. He didn't think it was natural for just someone's touch to do that. Ken's never had.

"But whatever it is, I'll be careful with you afterwards. You'll be one of my most prized trophies." His gloved hand rested against Daisuke's cheek, and the captive tried to look at him, figuring out the differences between the real thing and this half-baked copy.

Where Ken had been elegance, refinement, and the very definition of a superiority complex, this person was restrained, but with madness glowing in their eyes that put anything Ken had experienced in the shade. _Ken was like that because of his human emotions. Just kinda twisted and screwed up. But this guy_... He didn't know how to describe it, other than the fact something was twisted deep inside of him, something that went far beyond the brotherly hero worship gone wrong that had been the keys to Ken's soul.

There were physical differences too. Ken had been lean and whipcord thin, tall for his age and with a near permanent sneer and intense, piercing violet eyes. This one was tall enough, but broader in the chest and shoulder, and with a more finished look, as he'd done more growing than Ken had when he'd been the Kaiser. Instead of spiky blue hair, there was neatly tamed brown hair. Daisuke definitely preferred the original model.

"What's your name?" Daisuke murmured, starting to reach for the other. A warm hand closed around his wrist, keeping him from getting too close.

"I could be incredibly cliché and demand that you call me 'master', but I see no need. My name is Mori. Mori Rokuro. Call me Mori." There was going to be no familiarity of the given name here, Daisuke could see. That was fine by him. He didn't really want to be that familiar with him anyway. "Now, there's something I need to know, Motomiya. You were speaking with some of your former friends before I called you back here. What did they tell you?"

Daisuke fidgeted a little, trying to figure out what he could get away with now that Mori was acting more like himself instead of the very odd parody of the Kaiser he'd been pretending to be. "A lot of things." There was no need to deny what he'd done, especially since he wasn't entirely sure if he could even answer the question. He was aware of the conversation, but all the details just kept escaping him. The gray fog hadn't done anything but wait, hovering in the back of his mind, keeping him away from what he needed more than anything: mental clarity and answers to everything.

"I'm sure." Mori's eyes bored into his, as intense as he remembered Ken's being. "I'm quite sure indeed."

Daisuke stared back at him, fire stirring where the worms had been an unknown amount of time ago, burning their fretting to ashes. "I suppose you're going to tell me that everything they said is a lie and only you have told me the truth?"

"Not at all. I don't doubt they told you the truth." A feral smirk resulted in the baring of fine white teeth. Like so much else, Daisuke would've preferred not seeing them right now. "They can tell you anything that they like, and you can believe what you like. Remember, your mind and your memories are my most favored playthings at the moment. You'll remember what they said only as long as I'll let you. Why should I worry about any of it?"

A thousand replies wanted to come boiling out of Daisuke's mouth, but only one actually made it through. "Because you're the bad guy and the bad guy never wins."

"And just who told you that?" Mori sounded far more amused than he did angry. Daisuke's instincts all stood in a line to scream that this was a really _incredibly_ bad thing.

"No one had to tell me. It's just what is. No one we've fought who was really evil has ever won. Heck, even the ones we fought who thought they were evil and weren't didn't win. Ken didn't win. Vamdemon didn't win. Demon didn't win. Oikawa didn't. I could really go on and on." There hadn't been all that many after they'd beaten BelialVamdemon, but the flickers of memory now surging and moving behind the fog, taking the occasional chance to flicker into his mind as a spark of knowledge, told him what he needed to know. Or at least random things that were fun to think about.

Mori's hand closed quite firmly around Daisuke's chin. "What makes you think I'm _evil_, Motomiya? Just because I'm wiping your memories and taking you from your boyfriend? Really, is that your idea of evil?"

"No. But you're trying to be." It wasn't that easy to speak with his chin being held, but he managed. "What did Ken ever do to you, anyway?"

"I told you all I want to for now." Mori released Daisuke's chin and leaned back in his throne. "Kondo, get over here. It's time for the next phase of my project."

Daisuke had time enough only to wonder if he'd actually be able to see or hear Kondo before a third figure joined them on the dais. Out of the corner of one eye, he caught a glimpse of two others waiting in a doorway. He couldn't quite get a good look at them, but one seemed to be a kind of angel Digimon. Since the only ones he knew he'd seen right offhand were Angemon and Angewomon, he figured this wasn't a rescue, what with them just kind of standing there. The Digimon did look a little familiar, but it was hard to recall much with the essence of Mushrooms of Forgetfulness running around in his veins still. The other one was easier to identify, being a Unimon. This one tossed its head lightly, visored gazed all on Mori. If Daisuke hadn't known better, he would've compared the attention to what Wormmon had given Ken back during the Kaiser days. _Then again, maybe he is. If Mori's a Chosen, then his partner's got to be hurting as much as Wormmon was._

"What is it you need?" Kondo didn't appear to pay any attention to Daisuke whatsoever. He knew he wasn't the best judge of who was doing what right now, though, so he didn't let it bother him. Something about her, like so much else, was tugging around at the back of his mind. He'd figure it out later, once he had a later to figure it out in.

"Get his partner. I've got a new idea, and I'll need the little squirt to make it work properly." Mori turned slightly to the doorway. "Pidmon, I want you and Unimon to take Motomiya back to the lab. That's where Kondo's going to be taking V-mon once he gets here."

The two Digimon stepped a little closer, and Daisuke saw that the angel-like one was indeed a Pidmon. He wondered why they looked so much like Angemon, except for some different coloring here and there. Maybe he'd get the chance to ask someday. Unimon trotted closer, nuzzling briefly against Mori's arm.

"It's almost time for our ride, Mori," the deep voiced Digimon reminded him. "You're not going to bail out on me again, are you?"

The erstwhile Kaiser ran a comforting hand across his partner's neck and withers. "No, I won't. Once they're locked up, we can take the ride, and it'll be a doubly long one, to make up for missing the last time." Daisuke wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't heard it. He'd heard it, and he _still_ didn't believe it. Mori actually sounded as if he _cared_ about his partner. That went against everything he'd heard or seen about someone like him. Shouldn't he have been acting kind of like Ken, ignoring and being rude to his companion?

Wait, how the heck had Mori even _gotten_ one? Only the Chosen were supposed to have Digimon partners. Maybe it was just a friend he'd made? But what kind of a Unimon, a _Vaccine_ Digimon, would be working with someone who was doing what _he_ was doing? It didn't make sense. Not that anything else had for who knew how long, but it had to start somewhere, didn't it? He just wished it would get around to starting.

"Mori..." You never learned anything if you didn't ask. The worst that could happen was that he wouldn't know, and since he already didn't know, it wouldn't be that much of a difference. "You've got a partner?"

"Kondo and I both do. Pidmon is hers." Mori seemed a little too caught up in petting Unimon to bother keeping secrets, if he did think this one was. "I don't see why you're so surprised. It's not as if it's uncommon for someone to have one." He laughed suddenly. "Not that _you_ remember that anymore, of course. But we both had ours long before it became as common as the possession of a cell phone or clothing or something of that sort. Almost like you." He turned to look at Daisuke, smirking a twisted sort of smirk before reaching into a pocket to pull out something that should not have been even remotely possible, as far as Daisuke could recall. It made him want to get those memories back as fast as he could, just to understand _why_ Mori was holding what he was.

Where in the world had he gotten a D-3?


	12. The Chosen Course

_**Legal Disclaimer:** All characters within are the legal property of Toei Entertainment, or were inspired by such. This is done only for amusement.  
**Series Title:** Fade In, Fade Out  
**Chapter Title:** The Chosen Course  
**Romance:** Ken/Daisuke  
**Rated:** T_

A D-3? Daisuke did his best to rub at his eyes, certain he was seeing things. Those were something that the Chosen had, not...not whatever it was that Mori was. He was obviously still getting his head screwed around with. Not a good feeling, even if it was one he was getting very comfortable with.

"Yes, a D-3." Mori tucked the device back into the pocket he'd taken it from. "_My_ D-3. Kondo has one too. We really _are_ Chosen Children. Of a sort."

Daisuke looked to where Unimon stood still, Mori's hand going through his mane lightly. "You're a _Vaccine_, aren't you? How can you let him do...these things?" His voice trailed off, as he realized he wasn't entirely all that certain just what it was that Mori was really doing. He had an idea of what was going on with _him_, but other than that, he was drawing complete blanks.

"He has his reasons. I don't agree with them, and I believe that your friends will put a stop to him before he goes as far as the Kaiser did." Unimon's response wasn't even close to what Daisuke had expected. "Mori, I love you, my friend, but you do know what you're doing to him is wrong."

Mori just rolled his eyes as he stood up. "You've said that before, and I've told you why."

"That doesn't mean I agree with it. I think I've already said that enough times." Unimon replied tartly, taking a couple of steps back to keep on looking up into his partner's face. "Let it go, Mori. It wasn't anyone's fault, much less the person you keep on blaming. It just _happened_."

The strange Chosen, if that's what he really was, looked from Unimon to Daisuke. "Unimon, I told you and Pidmon to take Motomiya to the lab. Kondo will be leaving to get V-mon shortly, won't you?" He turned slightly to where Kondo was standing, and Daisuke was a little surprise to see her flush just a trifle. He was pretty sure that the interactions between Ken and _his_ minions hadn't been anything like what was going on here. Not that he'd ever had the chance to listen in on them, of course. But that was beside the point.

Daisuke yelped slightly as Pidmon's hands came down on his shoulders, and he jerked away as much as he could, barely noticing the chain that vanished as soon as the angelic Digimon touched him. Mori glanced back at him, the faintest of frowns touching his face. "Don't try to fight them, Motomiya. Just do as you're told until they've got you strapped back down."

As soon as the words were spoken, Daisuke found his muscles relaxing and his will to resist fading away. _What in the..._ It had been annoying enough when this kind of thing had been happening when he thought he was going up against Ken. It was ten times as irritating now that he was fighting someone he didn't even know.

"As soon as you've done that, come back here, Unimon, and we'll go for the ride." Mori's promise was the last thing Daisuke heard before Pidmon and Unimon got him out of the throne room and escorted him down an eerily familiar blank hallway.

There was no way he could fight them, but they hadn't said he couldn't talk. "So, what is really going on here? You said something about it not being someone's fault, Unimon. Care to clue me in?"

"Not especially." Unimon replied calmly. Daisuke blinked; that wasn't exactly what he'd been expecting from how nearly-friendly the Digimon had been being to him.

"Why not?" He frowned, trying to think of just what it might be. "Is it because of Mori?"

Unimon looked at him from one eye. "Not exactly. I just don't think you're in a state that could really understand what I'd have to say." The confusion Daisuke was feeling must've made it to his face, as the Digimon kept on speaking. "How much do you really remember right now?"

Daisuke opened his mouth, not entirely certain what he was going to say, then closed it again. Unimon nodded firmly. "You see? You barely know your own name, much less what has happened in a very great amount of time. If I told you what Mori was doing, and why, you wouldn't understand any of it. It would confuse you even worse, and Mori would be forced to put even _more_ of the elixir he's been working on in you. If you think you have memory problems _now_..."

Well, that made an annoying kind of sense. "All right." He didn't protest, _couldn't_ protest as he was taken into the laboratory. He vaguely recalled waking up in here not all that long ago. It hadn't really improved that much since he'd been away from it.

Pidmon helped him onto the lab table that was a major feature of the room, and carefully strapped him in. None of the straps were too tight, nor did they have any give to them that he could use to escape. If Ken had been in possession of servants as devoted and dedicated as these were, they would never have been able to stop him.

Ken. He clamped his mind around the things he'd heard not all that long ago. Ken had expected to find him there when he woke up. There had been mentions of them as boyfriends. Did he _love_ Ken? Did he really _love_ Ken the way Miyako loved Koushirou?

Underneath all the Mushroom haze and confusion, he was certain of one thing now, more certain than he was of his own name: yes. He _did_ love Ichijouji Ken.

Of course he was pretty sure this would make a lot more sense if he could remember _why_ he loved him. Only the vaguest of imagery danced through his mind, of a warm presence near him, supporting him as he supported it, of being held and holding someone else, of good times and bad. It was enough to send him screaming into the night, if he'd been capable of it.

_Why? How?_ The two words echoed in his mind as he tried to work past the effects of the serum running through his blood. All that seemed to want to bubble up were the things that Mori had said, about how it could very well make him go crazy or worse. The thought of someone else, _anyone_ else, doing any kind of 'thinking for him' was enough to make him want to throw up.

How long would this stuff take to go through him? Would his memories come rushing back in like a tidal wave or would they just kind of pop up slowly? Or something in between? He fidgeted a little in his bonds, looking over to where Pidmon and Unimon were talking under their breath to each other. That kind of thing had never set right with Daisuke and he tried to hear something of what they were talking about. Some people called it eavesdropping. He thought of it, at least right now, as checking out what the enemy was doing. As nice as Pidmon and Unimon kind of were to him, keeping him away from the truth and his friends put them in the ranks of the bad guys.

"You think Kondo's going to do it?" Unimon's voice was just barely audible, and Daisuke wasn't even certain if he were hearing it correctly. Whatever Pidmon said in reply was even quieter, and Unimon nodded slightly. "But it's a risk worth taking."

Whatever else they might've said went unheard as a sudden wash of pain slammed directly into Daisuke's guts. Sweat broke out all over him, and he ground his teeth, sagging against the table. He was grateful suddenly for the straps holding him there. Without that kind of support, he probably would've fallen on the floor into an extremely ungraceful heap.

"Mori said something like that might happen," Pidmon's voice came a little more clearly now, and Daisuke couldn't bring himself to care at all. He couldn't have heard the angel when he was saying something that might be _interesting_, no, he had to hear him when he was in too much pain to care! "It's because of the serum working out of his system. Since he's had so much of it, it's causing a bad reaction."

Well, that was wonderful to know. He wondered if it would be very bad of him to want to strangle Mori several times over. He also wondered if he really, truly _cared_ if it was bad of him, as long as it got the pain to stop.

Even without strangling his captor, though, the agony began to slowly subside. Daisuke took in long breaths of slightly medicine-scented air, wincing as he did so. This place smelled like a hospital, or like that lab where Koushirou worked on some of his experiments, the ones that had to be kept absolutely sterile. Neither of them made him feel any better.

_Ow..._ Daisuke shifted around a little more in his restraints and closed his eyes for a few seconds. The pain still lingering under the surface seemed to fade away a little with that. He had a feeling it was more in his head than anything else, though. Jyou had told him several times that just closing your eyes didn't really help the pain, just the perception of it. That was fine by him. Thinking you weren't feeling pain was just as good as not actually feeling it. Sometimes even better, to his way of thinking.

A faint smile rippled across his face as he remembered that. If the pain also meant he was going to be getting his memories back, then he wanted to feel _more_ pain. That didn't sound quite as right as he wanted it to, though.

If only there was some way he could decide what he remembered. He thought about Ken again, remembering what he could. Most of what came to his mind were those times when he was the Kaiser. There were a few things that seemed to be memories of after, seeing a great Digimon in front of them that appeared to be a combination of XV-mon and Stingmon...he had been absolutely wild, while Ken had stared at the new creation...at Paildramon...yes, that was his name, Paildramon, their Jogress evolution partner! Ken had stared at it with a kind of odd, worried calmness.

Jogress partner. Ken was his Jogress partner. The more he focused on that, the more he began to remember. It was still sketchy, though. There was just the thought of the two of them gazing in wonder at what they'd made together, when their hearts had beaten as one, their minds and souls completely in sync...

Had that been when he loved Ken the first time? No. They'd still only been friends at that time. Not even best friends yet. That wouldn't come for a while. But it _had_ been when he had known in the deepest level of his being that he wouldn't ever be completely complete without Ken in his life somewhere, somehow.

That heartbeat thing. It was pretty cool, really. He'd never really thought about how odd it was to have that kind of thing happen, until it had. It just felt so natural. They didn't get any special spiffy powers because of it; it was just something that was _part_ of them. Though one of those built-in locator devices like identical twins were supposed to have could've come in handy in the last week or two.

So when had he started to love Ken? He winced as another wave of pain shot through him, ground his teeth together, and did his best to ride it out. There could be memories on the other side he could use to find a way out here. Who knew, maybe he'd picked up some killer lock picking skills or something in the last few years. It wouldn't hurt to remember. Much.

As it ebbed away, he heard Unimon and Pidmon again. He was getting not to like to have to depend on them for any information, since they couldn't be nice enough to come over where he could hear them without having to strain his ears. "Mori better hurry if he wants to keep this guy. The worse the pain gets, the more he's going to remember."

"You know he's listening, right, Pidmon?" Daisuke was pretty sure that was amusement in Unimon's voice. "I can almost see his ears growing from here."

"Yes, I'm quite aware of that." Pidmon didn't seem to care all that much either. Daisuke decided the angel was trying to tell him something, without making it really obvious. Maybe he wasn't such a jerk of a winged pretty boy after all. "It's not as if he can do anything, either. You know what Mori said. His memories won't come back in any coherent order. He'll be worse than useless for a couple of days, and that's _if_ he doesn't get any more of that stuff pumped into him. Which he will, as soon as Mori gets here."

Well, that wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear. Did it really _matter_ now if he remembered why he loved Ken or what had led Ken to love him, if it would all be wiped away the moment Mori stuck him full of serum again?

_Maybe it doesn't **matter**, but I'm going to do it anyway. Those are **my** memories, **my** life, and no one's going to keep them from me!_ Something in his mind clicked, reminding him that Mori had kept them from him fairly easily for two weeks now. He told that something in his mind to go away. No one kept what was his away from him _forever_!

Ken. That was the goal, to understand what had happened between them and how. So, that meant he'd figured out, decided, or somehow or other become gay. The thought didn't really bother him. His parents hadn't been all that thrilled about homosexuals, at least as far as he could remember, but he'd never had a problem with them. He probed back through the scattered remains of his memories, hunting for anything that could be a link to the past.

_He stood in front of them, goggles in hand, fidgeting just a little. Ken was beside him, looking as calm and unruffled as he always had. Daisuke could read the few expressions the former Kaiser permitted on his face without a problem, though. Ken was just as nervous as he was. He was just a lot better at hiding it. _

"_Mom, Dad," he looked at his parents, remembering how they'd sat and looked so much like this when he'd first introduced Ken to them as his friend, so long ago. "I'm gay and Ken and I have been dating for about a month now." _

_He could almost **hear** the soft puff of air that was Ken's laugh at that. He was certain he felt it on the back of his head, if nothing else. But he didn't stop looking at his parents, and he definitely saw the look of confusion and horror in their eyes as what he said sank into them._

Daisuke grinned as he pulled that piece of memory out and tried to find a place in his jigsaw puzzle of a mind to put it. His parents hadn't really liked it right away, but in the three years it took for them to accept him and Ken, he'd done his best to stay on reasonably friendly terms with them. The few times he'd come to see them, he hadn't really brought up his relationship with Ken more than four or five times in a visit.

"I wonder what's taking Kondo so long." Pidmon turned his attention to the door for a few moments. "Getting his partner shouldn't really be taking her _this_ long."

Unimon tossed his head carelessly. "I wish she'd hurry it up. If it gets much later, Mori's going to want to put off our ride again."

"You're getting obsessed with that ride. Someone might think you _want_ to get Mori out of this place for a couple of hours." Pidmon rapped Unimon's shoulder lightly, and Daisuke caught a glimpse of an amused grin on his lips. "So he wouldn't get hurt if something should happen to _happen_, maybe?"

The four-footed Digimon snorted, prancing a little in place nervously. "You're imagining things. You know that you've been missing taking Kondo for your evening flights as much as I miss my rides with Mori."

Pidmon shook his head a little, amusement written all over him. "Maybe. But I'm not as irritable about it as you are. You're trying to save him and anyone with half an eye could see it. I'd bet even _he_ could, if he paid enough attention." One hand flapped in Daisuke's direction. "Right?"

"Um...yeah, sure." Daisuke wasn't all that positive on what he was agreeing to, but it sounded all right. "What you said." Maybe he should really pay more attention to what was going on with them.

A slightly amused voice broke into the conversation, such as it was. "Are you two talking about me again?" Daisuke caught a glimpse of Kondo out of the corner of one eye, and held in her grip quite firmly was V-mon, squirming for all he was worth.

"V-mon!" Daisuke tried to sit up, and was jerked back down by the straps. "V-mon, hey, buddy!" The joy that surged through him at the sight of his partner was eclipsed only by the invisible stinging needles of pain that plunged into him a few heartbeats later. He threw his head back, slamming it against the table, and didn't care that he was screaming out loud in pain. It hurt too much to do anything _but_ scream!

"Daisuke!" V-mon's voice pierced through the pain, but only a little. As if hearing it triggered something, a thousand other memories began to surge through Daisuke with the cry. Seeing V-mon for the first time, introducing him to his parents a little after they'd defeated BelialVamdemon, having to convince Jun that she couldn't take him as a visual aid to her project 'My Brother, The Chosen Child Who Saved The World', and so many more he couldn't even _begin_ to classify them all.

As the pain and the memory tidal wave began to ease off, Daisuke sagged against the table. There was no way he was going to be able to get out of here this time. He'd been shaky on his feet before. Now, if he could stand for more than two seconds, even with help, he'd be luckier than even _he_ had a right to believe he could be.

"What's going on with him?" Daisuke couldn't tell who V-mon was talking to just yet. It still hurt too much to open his eyes. Maybe this meant more of it was coming out of him? He couldn't be sure, but it sounded about right. He wanted a shower. Or a nice long hot bath. One that lasted three or four hours. Or days. Days would be nice.

"That really isn't your concern." Whoever V-mon was talking to, it was Mori who answered. Daisuke dragged his eyes open, ignoring the pain for a few moments to look at his captor. He supposed, in a mild sort of way, that Mori was good looking enough. Nowhere near close to Ken's good looks, of course, but then, who could be? When you had the best, why bother looking at the rest?

Kondo cleared her throat briefly. "Where did you want me to put him, Mori?"

"Over there should be good." Over there turned out to be a small cage, with a solid metal top, bottom, and three sides. The fourth side had a barred door, which Kondo opened to put the small Digimon inside. There was just enough space for him in there, but he couldn't move all that much. Mori came over to look down at him, a thoughtful expression in his dark eyes, one Daisuke didn't like at all. A faint flicker of memory surged in of Mori looking down at _him_ like that, and he flinched, trying not to think about it too much. If he'd known being leader and the Chosen of Courage and Friendship and Ken's boyfriend would lead into things like that...

He would've still accepted them all, and begged for more. Because the upsides _definitely_ outweighed the downsides.

"So what are you going to do, Mori?" Kondo appeared a little interested, but nowhere on the level that Daisuke was. Harm to him was one thing. Harm to his partner was in a whole different level of annoyedness.

"The next batch of the serum is finally ready. I'm going to deliver it to both of them when I get back from my ride with Unimon." Mori went over to a long counter and picked a vial of something up, looking at it for several moments. "I'm aware he's been getting his memory back. The pain spasms are proof of that." His brow was furrowed as he turned back to where Daisuke could see him more clearly. "I can't decide if I should wait until all of it has cleared out of his system or go ahead and do it before then."

Daisuke decided it was time he took part in this. It was his mind they were talking about, after all. "What's the difference?" Who knew, he might even get more answers.

"The effects on you will be dependent on just what I do to you." Mori picked up a laptop that reminded Daisuke a little of the one Koushirou almost always carried with him, his fingers tapping the keys briefly. "I've kept a record of your progress since I first started this, for the sake of science, of course."

Daisuke shook his head. All the bad guys in two worlds to choose from, and he got the one who had a patent on the 'mad scientist' routine. Where were the psychotic world-conquerors when you _really_ needed them?

Mori put the laptop back down and came over to Daisuke, staring down into his eyes. "Now, before I take my leave, there's something I need to know from you." A kind of expectant hush fell over the room, like what he'd heard when Qinglongmon was about to say something really momentous. He was hard-pressed to avoid coughing or making some kind of noise just to break it. "Exactly what did Pidmon and Unimon say before I came in here?"

Daisuke tried to keep his mouth shut, but the collar had other ideas it seemed. He spilled everything that he'd heard, including what they seemed to think Kondo was up to. He caught a look at her, and was a little surprised to find her looking a little amused. If she _was_ planning something, she was very cool about it. He liked that. If he got out of this place with his memories intact enough, he wouldn't have minded being her friend. If she didn't take the eventual beating to a bloody pulp he planned on doing to Mori the wrong way.

"And that's everything?" Mori's gaze bored into Daisuke's eyes, and he found it impossible to look away. The eyes weren't the violet ones he'd seen in earlier images in his mind, when his brain had been this jerk's playtoy, but they were just as fascinating at the moment. He knew exactly what a small helpless mouse had to feel like when being entranced by a snake.

This _so_ sucked.

"Yes, that's everything." Daisuke nodded slightly, most of his vision now taken up by Mori's eyes. "Everything they said."

"Good." Mori turned back to the rest of his 'court'. "Unimon, go get ready for the ride. Pidmon, you've got guard duty on the main entrance. Kondo, stay in here, keep an eye on Motomiya and his partner."

Daisuke had almost been expecting something like 'if they're not here when I get back, there will be dire consequences to pay'. Instead, it looked as if whatever Kondo was planning, it meant nothing to Mori. That had a lot of implications, and very few of them were ones that he liked.

Of course, the shaking that went all through the room and apparently throughout the entire base just then was something he liked even more. It had the feeling to him that something _very_ important was about to start happening. Vials and bottles on the counter Mori had stood at shook with the tinkle of glass, and the very table he was strapped to seemed to move around some. A loud explosion echoed all through the place a few heartbeats later, followed by another and another.

"What's going on?" Unimon shouted, doing his best to avoid falling over. Having four feet helped, it seemed, but not enough with _this_ kind of shaking and quaking going on. "Mori?"

"It must be some kind of quake." Mori headed to the doorway that he'd come in by. "Cancel the previous orders, Unimon, Pidmon, Kondo, come with me. I want to know if we'll have to move this place."

Daisuke glared over, bending his neck the best he could. "Hey! What about me and V-mon? Are you just going to leave us here? What if the ceiling caves in or something?" He didn't think it would, but he was also quite certain that he'd heard this kind of explosion before, and he _liked_ it.

"Yeah!" V-mon piped in, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "You wouldn't want us to get killed before you can do that brain-warping thing, right? What kind of fun would you have messing with Ken's head if you did _that_?"

Daisuke's proud grin fell apart as Mori turned back to them, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "And just how do you know what my plans are, little Digimon? You haven't been here long enough to know anything."

"You'd be surprised at what Kondo talks about when you're not around!" V-mon declared without missing a beat, grinning like a maniac. Daisuke really approved of that. Had he been getting lessons from Patamon? Sure, the little guy wasn't all that scary like _that_ but when he was Tokomon, he looked fit to chew your face off! "She's a really nice person you know. I wouldn't think an evil jerk like you would want her around. She could let just anyone in here to screw up what you're planning, you know. _Anyone_!"

Mori stalked back over to them, fires of fury sparking in his eyes. "You have no idea of what you're talking about, V-mon. Kondo has been more loyal to me than she has to anyone else in her entire _life_, and it's a loyalty I return. You're not dealing with some kind of idiot pair of 'villains' from anime who would backstab each other without a second thought. What we've been through _rivals_, if not _surpasses_ everything that you and your little friends have done!"

He came a little closer, glaring at V-mon as if this were some kind of an insult to him personally. "And let me inform you that Kondo would _not_ let just any kind of random idiot into my stronghold, to do who knows what to the decorating and upsetting all of my plans!"

"Actually, you're right. She didn't let just any kind of random idiot in here. She let in some very specific, and some very _upset_, Chosen of the Digital World."

Daisuke pulled his head around one more time, and grinned ear to ear. "About time you guys got here, Takeru!"


	13. The Curtain Risen

_**Legal Disclaimer:** All characters within are the legal property of Toei Entertainment, or were inspired by such. This is done only for amusement.  
**Series Title:** Fade In, Fade Out  
**Chapter Title:** The Curtain Risen  
**Romance:** Ken/Daisuke  
**Rated:** T_

In all of his life, Daisuke had only been this glad to see the rest of the team once: when they'd shown up when he was facing Ken down and he'd thought that they'd been the Kaiser's prisoners. All eleven of them were there, complete with Digimon, and every one looked about as angry as he could imagine.

It was a sight of pure, undiluted beauty. And Ken looked pretty awesome too, standing there with Wormmon perched on his shoulder, gazing out with familiar warm blue eyes. It wasn't often he broke out of his calm reserve, and it sent a chill of pleasure down Daisuke's spine to know that this was because of him, more or less.

Apparently getting kidnapped had some good side effects. The reunion was probably going to be pretty special, too.

"Kondo." Mori turned his gaze to his assistant, who looked completely unashamed of herself. "What have I told you about letting vermin into the fortress?"

The young woman just shrugged. "Actually, they're the cleanup crew I hired. They're here to clean you out, Mori. You've gone too far and this has to stop. What you're trying to do isn't going to help anyone, least of all yourself. _Or_ Saburo!"

"That's enough, Kondo." Mori's voice dripped in ice, then he looked back at the newcomers. "I suppose you want to know what I've done to Motomiya and all the rest of it." The ice vanished almost at once, replaced by casual contempt.

"We can discus that later, once you've let him go." Ken declared, taking a step forward. "That includes taking that _thing_ from around his neck, too."

Mori chuckled softly as he came back over to Daisuke, running one finger across the collar around the redhead's neck. "You mean this? I don't know, I rather like having your boyfriend obedient to _my_ every whim and wish. He's not quite that good for _you_ is he?"

"Like I'd want him to be in the first place. Half the fun of being with him is not knowing what he's going to do next." Ken just snorted, and Daisuke grinned. Another memory clicked into place, of the first date the two of them had ever went on. Daisuke had been the one to ask Ken out, and they'd went to get coffee together. It had been Takeru who had suggested that, really. Something simple, to get them some quiet time with just the two of them, that had been what he'd said.

When Daisuke had wound up describing his last soccer game, complete with wild waving of his arms and legs that had wound up knocking both of their coffee cups into their respective laps, they had mutually agreed not to do this again. At least not sitting at a table and drinking coffee. The dating, they both couldn't get enough of.

"Strange, I was thinking that was one of the things I hated most about him." Mori's hand trailed alongside Daisuke's neck, passed his ear teasingly, and began to toy in his hair. "He's much more manageable like this."

"You can stop talking about me like I'm not here any time now." Daisuke had long since gotten tired of being ignored. "You heard what Ken said, anyway, Mori. Let me out of here, and you might not get your butt kicked. Too badly. Maybe."

"Quiet." Mori's order was casual, but Daisuke felt as if his lips suddenly couldn't move. His captor looked back at the others, ruffling Daisuke's hair still. "Now, I suppose you think you're going to just force me to give up my toy here, while I somehow just babble out to you exactly what makes me hate Ichijouji so much."

Takeru shook his head, faintly grinning. "No, Kondo told us everything already, really. She was very helpful."

"I can tell. She likes to be helpful to everyone, it seems." Mondo looked at her again, and she just shrugged, just as devoid of shame as she'd been the first time. "That's really a bad habit. You should try to break it."

Kondo just shrugged casually, not looking as if it mattered to her. "You wanted revenge, Mori. I thought it was all right to help you, if you'd just figure out that really wasn't what you wanted after all. But like I said..."

Mori cut her off irritably. "Yes, yes, went too far, too much, must stop. That's been covered already. So, you told them about Saburo. How very sweet of you. And I'm certain you felt such a connection with me, didn't you, Ichijouji?" He sneered at Ken, who just looked back at him, with hints of compassion and kindness in his violet eyes. Daisuke felt his heart melting all over again. How could anyone ever want to hurt someone who had eyes like that?

As well as many other major body parts that were simply gorgeous. It boggled him every bit as much as calculus and astronomy did, maybe even more.

Well, not as much as calculus.

"Kind of," Ken answered Mori. He folded his arms across his chest, staring at the other man like grim death. "And then you did something that neither Osamu nor I would have ever done: brought someone else who had nothing to do with this into your personal problem. You hurt Daisuke."

Mori laughed, running his fingers through Daisuke's hair again. If he hadn't been ordered to stay quiet, Daisuke thought he might well have started purring or something. _I thought it was Ken I was reacting to when this would happen before. Maybe it wasn't._ The thought had one single effect on him: he wanted to throw up. Liking this maniac's fingers on him? If anyone was going to pet his hair and make him purr, it had better _be_ Ken and not some idiot who was just using his image to screw with Daisuke's head!

"So that makes you somehow better than I am?" Mori didn't even wait for Ken to answer before he kept on going. "You act as if something like this _matters_. It doesn't. I would've taken anyone that would've hurt you. I thought about taking that partner of yours, but he wouldn't have given me half the enjoyment that Motomiya here has."

_He makes it sound so **dirty**._ Daisuke mentally shuddered at the way Mori was talking. He didn't _think_ anything like that had happened, but there was no way he could be certain. Who knew how long the collar had really been on him? He knew that he'd been away for two weeks. That left a _lot_ of time he had no idea of.

Now if only he could get some answers here. Obviously _they_ knew what was going on. It would be appreciated if they could remember him, who had the memory of Swiss cheese right now. He turned to look at Ken, putting all the pleading he could into his eyes, hoping that his boyfriend got the picture.

"What you've done to Daisuke hasn't changed what happened to your brother one little bit." Ken seemed to have, as he started talking to Mori again. "He's still gone. And I had _nothing_ to do with it, and I never have!"

"Is that so?" Mori just snorted, shaking his head. "Then Kondo didn't tell you as much as you think she did. If she did, you'd know that you _and_ your own brother have as much to do with this as _I_ do."

Koushirou cleared his throat quite politely. "Actually, if one were to be technically accurate, your brother Saburo is the only one who truly could be said to be at blame, if you wish to lay accusations at one particular person. It would be more appropriate for our entire society to be where the blame really arises, though, and our insistence on excellence and achievement above all else."

Great. Koushirou sounded as if he were in a culture class or something like that. Why couldn't they just lay it out simply for the poor kid with the collar around his neck? He wished there were some kind of time limit on the orders the collar gave. He wanted to be able to talk again _so_ much.

Oh, wait, there went his brains again, floating off as Mori caressed his hair slowly, rubbing each strand individually before going on to the next. He couldn't hear some of what was being said now, and that was getting _really_ annoying, and it felt so good to just lay here and _not_ think, no matter what...he could drift away forever like this.

"Daisuke!" Huh? What? Oh! Ken! Daisuke snatched his head away from Mori's touch, shooting the most annoyed look he could at his captor. What on Earth had he been _thinking_? He wanted a hot shower, right now. One lasting a good four or five hours at least, until he could wash that touch of Mori's out of his hair and out of his mind.

"I don't believe _you've_ ever made him feel like that, have you, Ichijouji?" Mori sneered, folding his arms over his chest. "You had to yell to get him to notice you. He notices _me_ no matter what. I just barely have to touch him."

Daisuke couldn't speak, but he snorted rather audibly. There was no way he couldn't notice Mori. The guy was standing right beside him, and held the keys to his freedom! But he still wanted to know what was going on, and who that Saburo guy was, other than Mori's brother.

"As I was saying, it's more the fault of our collective culture than any one person, where your brother's death is concerned." Koushirou had the slightly irked tones of someone who had been interrupted.

"Our _culture_?" Mori really wasn't taking this well. "My brother _killed himself_ because of _his_ so-called _genius_ brother!" One finger was firmly pointed at Ken, who didn't so much as flinch from the accusation.

"Saburo killed himself because Osamu beat him for a scholarship when they were ten years old." Ken said quietly, apparently having noticed the complete confusion in Daisuke's eyes. "Something they'd both worked towards for over a year."

Daisuke shook his head; he knew that pressure to pull off things like that was beyond enormous, but it had never occurred to him to _kill_ himself if he'd failed at it. He'd just try again later, or go for something else. His parents had always thought he was a little weird like that, after all. He could see why that would get Mori a little on the irked side.

"And that's why I'm going to take what _you_ have from you, Ichijouji." Mori was virtually _shaking_ with rage. "Because you did the same thing to _me_. You stole the same scholarship! And you never even _used_ it!"

"I couldn't, not after what had happened." Ken touched the back of his neck lightly, shaking his head. "I literally _couldn't_."

"That's not my problem, is it, Ichijouji? You took something I wanted more than anything since my brother died. You Ichijoujis took him from me, and then you took _that_ from me, and then you had the _nerve_ to be so damned _condescending_ when BelialVamdemon was draining our strength from us! Both of you!" Mori's eyes flashed in a kind of anger that Daisuke couldn't ever remembering having seeing in his entire life. "Believe in yourself! Believe in your dreams!"

Miyako shook her head, confusion in every swish of her hair. "What's so wrong about that? It's what _worked_, and you did it then, remember? So what changed?"

"I grew up." Mori bit the words out. "The only dreams I want to have now are the ones of revenge. All of you were _honored_ and _respected_ and _treasured_ for what you'd done for our world." Bitter sarcasm and mockery laced every single syllable that fell from his lips. "What did _we_, the Dark Spore Children, get? No, we're not _Chosen Children_, no matter what you wanted to try and tell us. _You_ were Chosen. By that idiot Gennai or Qinlongmon or what have you. _We_ were pulled in by our fantasies, by our pain, to feed evil."

"You chose not to, though!" Iori spoke up for the first time. "You sided with us! If you believed in our cause then, why are you doing all of this now?" Daisuke could've cheered. That was the kind of question he would've asked, he thought. Well, if Iori hadn't asked it for him first.

"I said it once already. I grew up. Unimon keeps trying to feed me the same line, but I don't believe it anymore. What it all boils down to is that I want revenge. You and yours took from me, Ichijouji, so I will take from _you_."

Ken started forward, then froze as Mori placed a hand on Daisuke's arm. "Mori. Let him go. This is between you and me. Hurting him won't take him from me. It'll just make me remember him forever."

"The way he remembered all of you?" Mori smirked, motioning to his scientific collection of vials and other things. "The Mushrooms of Forgetfulness can poke several holes in memories, you know. _I_ certainly know. I know a lot of things. You could almost say I know ...everything." Mori laughed darkly, eyes gleaming with shadows and ice. "Almost everything, at least. Everything _he_ has forgotten, I know. It was easy to work out a way to put them where I could get them if I wanted to. To make them easier to twist and manipulate the way I wanted them to go. It all helped to make him obey me even faster."

This was getting weirder and weirder by the moment. Considering how weird things had been before this, that was saying something. He didn't quite know what it was saying, but it was _something_.

"What are you talking about?" It was Yamato who spoke, eyes gleaming in sapphire anger. Well, it was nice to know that Yamato was capable of reacting like this to a threat to him. Daisuke knew the two of them were friends, but as far back as he could remember (as laughable as that really was right now) he couldn't recall a time when they'd actually close. That bothered him, quite a bit. Once they were out of this, he decided to fix that. Maybe a 'friendship retreat' or something like that. It sounded good, at least.

"This." Mori pulled a silver-blue disk out from somewhere and displayed it like a trophy. It reminded Daisuke vaguely of either a CD or one of those old computer floppy disks or something. "All of his memories are on here. The ones that he can remember, _and_ the ones that he can't. If I destroy this, and then dose him up with an extra strong extract of the Mushrooms, then the Motomiya Daisuke you knew will be gone forever. He will _never_ remember anything of your time together. He will be my puppet forever, and he will _enjoy_ it."

That was not good. Daisuke shifted around the best he could, trying to get as far from Mori as possible. That wound up being about three inches, three inches that vanished as Mori took a step towards him.

"That's enough, Mori." Kondo entered the conversation, coming over quickly to seize him by one wrist. "You're not going to do any of that. I don't know what you think you want, but I know you, and this _isn't_ what you're like."

"I wasn't like this before. I am now." Mori pushed her away from him sharply, then closed his hand around the disk. Something cracked as he did so, and when he opened his hand, silver-blue dust fell from it. He brushed his hands off lightly, then pushed her to the side once more, heading over a rack of syringes. "I think it's time I showed you all just how serious I am being about all of this."

"No, Mori." The denial this time came from Unimon, as he placed himself in between the angered man and the stuff on the counter. "I agree with Kondo and the Chosen. This has to stop."

"I am getting so tired of hearing that!" Mori growled dangerously at the unicorn Digimon. "Will _no one_ let me have the revenge I _deserve_? Is there something so utterly wrong about crushing the heart and soul of the person who has been responsible for my losing so much?"

A flash of violet hair and a sharp strike across Mori's face echoed around the room, and if Daisuke had been able to, he would've cheered Miyako right then and there. "You keep claiming you grew up, but all you did was grow stupid! Just because you didn't kill yourself and you tried all kinds of weird _other_ things doesn't mean you were any better than your brother! Even if you destroyed Daisuke's memories completely, _we'd_ still remember him! You can't take that way, no matter what you try!"

Mori started to push past her, but she shoved him back a little more, fury outlining her brown eyes. She hadn't even begun decently, it seemed. "When Ken lost that scholarship, did you even think about trying for it again later? Or did you just quit trying? And does it _matter_ if you're a 'Chosen Child' or not? Shouldn't you be a person first?"

"I tried! But then someone _else_ took the scholarship! I started to watch Ichijouji, and I saw how even _without_ the Dark Spore's power, he had everything I could've ever wanted!" Mori was almost spitting in his fury. "He had all of you! None of you even knew my _name_ until this! And none of you cared!"

Jyou shook his head sadly, an expression becoming quite common to this situation. "We can't know everyone. We have our own lives, too." Real regret touched his voice. Daisuke was almost certain he was thinking about his own brothers, his own hard fought nights of studying, and seeing others succeed around him.

"And mine wasn't important enough. Was anyone's, other than your own?" Mori sneered, whirled back to Daisuke and stalked over there grandly. "Reasons and the past aren't going to matter that much shortly. I'll be quite happy once I completely destroy every chance you've ever had of saving your little boyfriend, Ichijouji."

Taichi had his 'I wish I could smack this guy from where I'm standing' expression on. Daisuke had seen it quite a few times before, usually when some of his soccer team got a little on the stupid side. "And all this time when you've been plotting revenge and doing who knows what else, you _could_ have been doing something really constructive with your life, like finding a different kind of scholarship, something you could go for and win for yourself, and finding your own love life!"

"But that would've left him with his, and I can't stand for that," Mori spoke as if that were the kind of thing anyone with a functioning brain should have been able to figure out. Daisuke was beginning to think that this guy had been cracked since long before Oikawa and his dark spore copies had found their way to him. "I'm going to take what he has. Then he won't have it." Yeah, definite wacko material here.

"He's lost it." Takeru muttered, and Daisuke wanted to tell him it was nice he could finally catch up with the rest of them. He had to get this collar off before it drove _him_ off the brink of sanity. He'd been teetering on it long enough.

Mori toyed lightly with the collar, then slowly began to unstrap Daisuke, not taking his eyes off of the Chosen and the Digimon there. "You can say all you want that it's your memories that will keep him as he is, but it won't change the fact he'll be gone. You'll never make another memory of him. I'll be the only one who knows the Motomiya who once was. Not that he was really worth knowing before. All prickly and irky and disobedient. He's become much more tolerable under my teachings. I think I'll enjoy keeping him around for a while."

"Then what you have isn't Daisuke, but just a pretty little pet that you made from him." Ken declared firmly. "_My_ Daisuke will always be with me."

His Daisuke. Daisuke liked the way that sounded. Ken's Daisuke. Daisuke's Ken. That sounded even better. Maybe they could get away from here and discuss a few things that could evolve from that. He wondered how Ken would look with a nice tasteful leather collar on or something like that. He didn't care how _he_ looked with it. He'd had enough of this kind of thing for the next couple of centuries.

"Stand up, Motomiya," Mori ordered abruptly as the last of the straps came undone. Daisuke then was on his feet, swaying somewhat as he did. He'd never been seasick before, and he didn't want to start now. His stomach wasn't quite feeling like co operating where that was concerned, though. Up and down, all around...ohhh, he wanted to sit back down.

"No!" A flash of movement, this time someone entirely different. Daisuke felt as if he could've recognized that person in his sleep, no matter how much of his memory was gone. He did recognize them, after all. It was Ken. He still bore his _Rocket_ nickname, and he deserved it a thousand times over.

Ken's arms closed around Daisuke, pulling him away from Mori and back over to the group. "You're not going to take him away from me, not now, not ever again!"

"I already have, Ichijouji." Mori didn't seem all that bothered to see his captive pulled away, and that worried Daisuke. His legs felt a little stronger underneath him, but not nearly enough. He might've been able to take a few steps, but running even a ten-yard dash was totally out of the question. "He still wears my collar, if you missed it."

"Does that mean if we didn't miss it, that he's not?" Jyou asked, one pale blue eyebrow quirked. Daisuke decided to giggle at that, as soon as he got the strength, and the ability to speak on his own again.

"Amused, Kido, but not amusing enough." Mori looked at Daisuke, a thoughtful expression visible in his dark eyes. "So you think that you've retrieved your love, and nothing will keep you apart again, is that so?"

Ken's only answer was to tighten his arms around Daisuke. The redhead enjoyed the embrace, closing his eyes a little. For the first time in forever, he really felt as if he were _home_. The light masculine scent of Ken in his nostrils brought up a thousand more memories, and being near his friends was trigger ten thousand more. The mixture in his veins was burning away faster and faster with each moment, and he relaxed. It was over, no matter what Mori said or thought. It was _over_.

"Motomiya, stand up straight, and away from Ichijouji," Mori ordered. Daisuke straightened up at once, taking a step away from Ken before he'd even realized that he'd done it.

_He meant it!_ The collar still kept him tamed and obedient to Mori, no matter what. There _had_ to be something that could stop that!

"Daisuke..." Ken touched his shoulder, concern in his eyes. "Daisuke, are you all right?"

"He can't answer you, Ichijouji. I told him to be quiet, remember?" Mori laughed softly. "But I'll be generous this time. You may answer Ichijouji. Once you've done that, be silent until I grant you permission to speak again."

Daisuke turned to Ken, a faint smile rippling across his lips. "I'm all right, Ken. Well, except for having this thing around my neck which means I've got to listen to the jerk over there. But other than that, absolutely fine."

Ken's lips twitched a little as he gently caressed Daisuke's cheek for a moment. Each of them stood there, gazing into the other's eyes, for what felt like forever.

"That's enough of that. If you two get any more sappy, I just might get sadistic." Mori growled, a dangerous edge to his tone. Daisuke turned enough to see Kondo chuckling softly, shaking her head.

"Mori, you've really lost it. You can't even tell that you haven't done _anything_ to them that you wanted to. All you did is make everything between them stronger. I always thought that would be the end result, anyway, but I wanted to help you anyway. To see if you were right, even though I knew you weren't." She took a few steps towards him, holding one hand out. "You can give it up, you know. You can start over. It won't hurt you to just let it all go."

Mori shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving Daisuke and Ken. "No, Kondo. I can't. I _won't_. If nothing I've done has broken them, then I will do it another way."

"Don't you get it yet? You can't do anything!" Takeru growled, eyes flashing in rich anger. "They're _together_! They love each other more than you can get through your thick skull! You had to pretend to be Ken to even get Daisuke to _look_ at you, and you were being him when Daisuke didn't even think they could be friends! And it _still_ didn't work! What more do you want, something written in stone? Is that what it would take to convince you that there's _nothing_ that you, or anyone else, can do to get this revenge that you want, for no reason?"

Mori turned slightly towards the blond, a faint hint of confusion flickering in his eyes. "No reason? Everything you've heard and it's no reason?"

"So your brother and you both went kind of overboard. You should've tried harder, or just tried something different. You made wrong choices, but you're not the only one who has." Takeru pointed out. Daisuke seriously gave a thought to hugging the Chosen of Hope. "So start again. There are still scholarships and jobs you can have, and if you work hard enough, no one can beat you at it. Even if they do, just try again." He blinked for a moment, shaking his head. "Daisuke, I'm glad you're back. I'm starting to act like you and it's scaring me."

For a moment, everything was quiet. Mori appeared to be thinking over what Takeru had just said. Daisuke began to reach back to Ken, when the madman's voice cracked like a whip. "Step away from them, Motomiya, and do _not_ go back unless I give you permission. If they try to pull you back, stop them in any way you can."

Daisuke winced as his body obeyed, moving to one side and away from them. Ken stared after him, hurt and agony visible in his eyes as Daisuke glanced briefly over his shoulder, one hand half-raised as if to pull him back.

"If nothing I've done has made a difference, then I'll just have to do something that _will_. My brother took his own life, Ichijouji, and yours died of an accident. But what I'm going to do won't be any kind of accident at all."

Daisuke could see it, out of the corner of one eye. A snapped word froze him where he stood, unable to take his eyes off of the slender knife that Mori had pulled from somewhere. What kind of a psychotic evil villain carried something like _this_ on him? Worse than just having it, he was aiming it, right at Ken.

"Time's up, Ichijouji." Mori clipped the words out, his arm jerking forward and the dagger flipping straight to where Ken stood frozen in shock: and to where Takeru stood, once the blond had brutally shoved Ken to one side and the knife sank into his flesh all the way up to the hilt.


	14. The Ending Moments

_**Legal Disclaimer:** All characters within are the legal property of Toei Entertainment, or were inspired by such. This is done only for amusement.  
**Series Title:** Fade In, Fade Out  
**Chapter Title:** The Ending Moments  
**Romance:** Ken/Daisuke  
**Rated:** T_

Daisuke couldn't move. He had no idea if his frozen state came from the sheer shock of seeing Takeru falling, the knife buried in him, or from the command Mori had given him. All he knew was he wasn't moving at all. He couldn't even be certain if he were breathing. Everything around him seemed to be moving in slow motion, as if this were a movie. He almost wanted to hear someone call 'cut!' and see Takeru sit up with a fake blade in him, and fake blood, and for all of this to be a nightmare.

None of it had been a dream so far, though. It all held a dark reality that had been dredged from his darkest nightmares. None of that changed, either.

"Takeru..." Yamato stepped forward, his eyes huge with shock. Daisuke had never before been so grateful _not_ to be someone else. Mori was going to be in about fifty worlds of pain...

"Y...Yamato..." Takeru slowly began to sit up, and tension Daisuke had barely known existed began to drain out of him. The blond _wasn't_ dead! At least not yet. If they could get him out of wherever this place was, and to a hospital, then there was probably a chance. Not that he was a doctor, but it seemed okay to him. But with everyone else still frozen in shock, they might not have the time.

Then someone else moved, and Daisuke wasn't at all surprised to see that it was Jyou. He dropped down by Takeru, hands moving quickly and with great surety. Daisuke winced as the bloodied knife came into view, and he heard Takeru's soft groan. That really didn't sound that good.

"Jyou?" Yamato came closer, sparing a quick compassion-filled look for Daisuke, but his main attention was on his little brother. "How bad is it?"

"We're going to have to get him out of here, and the sooner the better." Jyou leaned back, looking through his ever-present medical kit. "I can keep him stabilized for right now, but not for much longer."

The blond whirled on Mori, eyes flashing in anger the likes of which Daisuke had seldom seen there, in his memory or out of it. "What the hell did you think you were _doing_?"

"If the next words out of your mouth are 'you could've killed someone', don't bother. That's exactly what I was _trying_ to do when your brother got in the way, Ishida." Mori eyed the whole situation with undisguised contempt. "If he hadn't wanted to be a hero, then Ichijouji would be gone and this would be over."

Ken shook his head slowly, not taking his eyes off Mori for a heartbeat. "This won't be over until we have Daisuke back."

"Then it'll never be over, because you'll never have him back." Mori grinned slowly. "At least not as--"

"Yeah, yeah, not as we remember him, we got it all five minutes ago."

Apparently snarky comments were under the control of the Trait of Courage, Daisuke decided. He and Taichi had a tendency to come up with some similar ones. He had to admit that one wasn't too bad. His would've been better, if he could say something, though. That was one of the first orders of business: how to get this thing off of him so he wasn't subject to Mori's commands any longer. It would help if there was anything like a latch or something on it, instead of being as smooth as if it had been _grown_ there.

Evil geniuses sucked.

Well, all the ones who weren't Ken, anyway.

"Since you understand that, the rest of this should be simple. Leave." Mori turned his attention back to Daisuke, a smirk hovering on his lips. "Come over here, Motomiya. It's time to say good-bye to your _former_ friends."

_I wonder if I could get him some acting lessons?_ Daisuke wondered as he started over to the twisted man. He could certainly use them. Daisuke's eyes fell briefly to his feet, watching as they carried him away from the ones he wanted to be with. There _had_ to be some kind of answer, something to break what was going on. Somehow, he didn't think Mori was going to kill him, or even wipe his memory completely. No matter how many threats he made, he still wanted to torture _Ken_ more than anything, and he couldn't be so stupid that he didn't realize Ken's torture would end with Daisuke's life ending. At least Daisuke was pretty certain it was.

He was also pretty certain that _Mori's_ torture would just be _beginning_ if he died.

"Daisuke!" The agony in Ken's voice cut right to his heart. _If V-mon were out of that cage, maybe **he** could break through this thing._ There weren't too many metals that some kind of Digimon couldn't break through somehow. Though the thought of WarGreymon trying to cut through the collar was more than a little terrifying. It wasn't that he didn't trust the huge Digimon, but just thinking about that huge blade coming close to his head was unnerving.

He ached to turn and look back at Ken, to make some kind of gesture so his boyfriend would understand and know how he felt. Nothing happened, though, as he came to stand by Mori. For the first time in his life he really wanted to cause major damage to another human being. Or whatever it was that Mori was. Daisuke was seriously beginning to have doubts about his humanity.

Mori looked up at him, a smirk of victory hovering over his lips, then started to reach for Daisuke's hair once again. Before he could touch it, however, someone else was there.

"This ends, now." The words, or ones similar, had been said multiple times since they had arrived, but there was a hint of finality to them that hadn't been heard before. Unimon pointed his horn carefully at Mori, determination shimmering in his eyes. "I won't let it go on, Mori."

"Unimon, you claim to be on my side. Then don't stand in my way." Something very like shock and a hint of anger and horror rang in Mori's voice. "You're supposed to be my best friend. My _partner_. Why are you turning on me?"

"I'm not." Unimon didn't move an inch, his horn pointed directly at his partner. "I'm trying to help you, even if it hurts you. This isn't what you need."

"And how would you know what I need?"

"Because that's what Digimon are for." Wormmon wriggled closer, and Daisuke felt a surge of hope. When the little green caterpillar had turned on Ken and joined his power with Magnamon to defeat Kimeramon, they had defeated the Kaiser. Maybe that was a hint of what was going to come for now. It certainly couldn't hurt matters.

Mori turned a cold look onto the small insect Digimon. "What in the world are you babbling about?"

"Digimon are their partner's best friend. They're always there to talk to, to listen, and to be there. Why haven't you talked to Unimon about how you've been feeling? It could've helped you a long time ago." Wormmon stared up at him with eyes of gleaming blue. Daisuke wondered why he hadn't ever noticed they were so much like Ken's. Not quite identical, but they had that same shade of faith sometimes. Like now.

"I've tried to talk to him, several times. He's always pushed me aside." Unimon's voice was soft and full of pain. Daisuke caught a glimpse of Ken wincing, and wasn't surprised to see a glimmer of a teardrop in one of his eyes as the former Kaiser looked down at his partner.

"That's probably the stupidest thing you could have ever done: to ignore your partner." Ken told Mori, clenching his fists slightly. "I've been down that road myself, Mori. It's not worth anything that you'll do, or that will happen."

"Maybe you think that, but if you missed it, I'm _not_ you." Mori started to reach for his D-3, then froze as Unimon's horn began to track him perfectly, light gleaming off of it. "Unimon, stand aside. We can go riding later. I haven't ignored you. You shouldn't be doing this."

"You've spent time with me when you could make the time, but you've ignored me when it mattered the most." Unimon almost seemed to be trembling as he spoke. "You've ignored everyone who didn't tell you what you wanted to hear. Me, Kondo, all of them. Do you _really_ think your brother would've wanted you to do this?"

"Do you really think I'm doing this because I think he'd want it or not?" Mori challenged, anger rippling through him. "He's dead and gone, and the only thing I have left is revenge!"

"The only thing you have left is your own ego and your own pride." Takeru groaned the words out as he began to pull himself up, leaning against Jyou and Angemon at the same time. "And your refusal to let any of it go."

"Why should I?"

"Because it's the right thing to do." Iori chimed in. Daisuke was struck again by how much the youngest Chosen had grown in the years that were missing from his memory. A few vague flickers of teasing him through his growth spurts slipped through the back of his mind, and he grinned. He'd do it again, once he got the chance. And it would be just as much fun as the first time.

Mori shook his head, rolling his eyes. "I don't see how any of you were able to defeat anyone if this is your philosophy. Just talking to your enemies? If this is the best that the Digital World can do for defenders, then I'm surprised it still exists after all these years."

"This isn't how we fight." Yamato growled darkly, and beside him Gabumon evolved to Garurumon in the blink of an eye. "This is how we rescue a friend. But if you want to see how we fight, we'll be _more_ than glad to show you!"

"Motomiya, stand in front of me." Mori's lazy order resulted in Daisuke standing in between his captor and the other Chosen. He stared at them helplessly, fury boiling in every vein and cell he possessed. How could someone like _this_ even dare consider calling themselves a Chosen? Of _any_ kind? He was more like an Anti-Chosen. A dark reversal of everything they ever should have been. Even the Kaiser had been more of a defender than Mori was, and he hadn't ever defended anything but himself and the twisted destiny he'd thought he had.

"Mori. Having someone helpless protect you?" Unimon shook his head sadly, voice throbbing in pain. "Could you be any less of a Chosen Child?"

"I don't really care that much. If they attack me, they'll kill their friend, and I have what I want. If they don't, I'll take him away, and I'll _still_ have what I want. You see, Unimon, it's a win-win situation, no matter what happens." The smugness in his tone could've been spread on bread and eaten with jelly. Daisuke absently wondered how long it had been since he'd had something to eat that wasn't Mori's cream of Mushroom of Forgetfulness soup. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or some ramen, would go down just perfectly. Or both. Great, he was starting to get cravings. The last time _that_ had happened, Jun had been pregnant with her and Shuu's first kid!

_Hey, I remember that!_ His mental grin got even wider. Mori's little concoction was fading out of his system more and more. Things couldn't get much better.

Well, getting the collar off would help. It just had to be _broken_ somehow. WarGreymon might be the best choice after all. In fact, he was probably the _only_ choice. No one else had any kind of weapons that could help. It had to be something that could cut or saw or just _shatter_ it, without killing him at the same time. That cut down on a lot of their attack opportunities.

"Wrong." Unimon stepped forward, his horn grazing lightly against Mori's throat. "I can make you lose right here and now, and give them back what they want the most: Motomiya."

Daisuke went as stiff as he could, which was quite stiff all things considered. What was Unimon talking about? He wasn't going to _kill_ his partner, was he? As much as Daisuke himself wanted Mori out of the way, that would be revolting just to think about!

"Go ahead and kill me if you think you can." Apparently Mori didn't quite feel the same way about it. That was fine by Daisuke. The thought of thinking like him was disgusting. "But I don't think you have the nerve, Unimon."

"I don't need it. I just need to do this." With a whirl and a flash of hooves, Unimon pivoted to face Daisuke, moving his head quickly to slam into the young man's side with all of his considerable strength. Daisuke barely had time to realize what was going on before he had been thrown headlong back at the others. "Get him out of here. If he can't hear Mori's voice, he won't be able to obey him."

Just as quickly as Unimon had moved, Ken wrapped his arms around Daisuke and started to pull him away. Daisuke struggled a little, his body wanting to obey the earlier command that Mori had laid on him: to stop them in any way he could if they tried to pull him away.

"We're going to have to do something to get him to _stop_ fighting us!" Taichi growled, shooting a look that would've laid Mori underground in half a heartbeat if such looks could truly be deadly. "Anyone have any ideas?"

"Pressure points?" Iori suggested a bit hesitantly. "Certain of those pressed could cause him to pass out and he wouldn't wake up for hours."

That wouldn't have been Daisuke's _first_ choice for how to deal with him. It more than likely had something to do with the fact that every other time he'd passed out, he'd awakened in Mori's crafted nightmares or his captivity, and he really didn't want to do _that_ again. He hoped they'd come up with something better.

"That's still not going to stop _Mori himself_." Miyako pointed out, keeping an eye on their arrogant enemy. "Until we can stop him, this isn't going to do much."

"It'll do enough to get Daisuke away from him. That's his biggest weapon right now." Garurumon appeared to chew the words out, his eyes never once leaving Mori. He took a step forward, and Mori seemed almost to flinch as Unimon stepped to the side, not protecting his partner at all. "You are no Chosen, Mori. You are unworthy of being partnered to a Digimon. You are unworthy of being _human_."

"Neither one of those things are something that you can take away. I know why you don't want to hurt me." Mori smirked, folding his arms across his chest. "Because each one of you knows that you could _be_ me. I am what you could be if you stopped believing everything you've been told about being the heroes and the saviors and the---urk!"

The sound of the slap against his mouth rang around the entire room. Daisuke would've laughed quite a bit if he'd been able to once he saw who it was that had done that.

"You are really getting too mouthy." Mimi told him, her hand raised again to hit him. That was the second time someone had assaulted him. Daisuke made a note to do something very nice for Mimi and Miyako when he got the chance. "We don't want to hurt you because we're the good guys and that's what you should be. But since you don't want to be, I guess we don't really have a choice."

"Could any of you kill a human?" Mori taunted, eyes flickering right to Miyako and Iori. "You've been known to have that problem before. You could barely bring yourselves to kill _Digimon_, who don't even die like proper creatures! What gives any of you the right to decide the fate of another?"

"Aren't you the one who should be asking yourself that question?" Kondo asked quietly from where she had been standing watching it all. "You decided it was your job to gain revenge for your brother's mistakes, instead of not making them yourself."

Daisuke was almost certain he caught a glimpse of uncertainty in Mori's eyes, but if it was there at all, it was washed away by arrogance and conceit a few seconds later. "Don't try to confuse the issue, Kondo. Are you just going to let them kill me?"

The young woman looked from her erstwhile leader to the Chosen and back again. Daisuke, still caught up in trying to keep himself from being taken away, wondered what was going on in her mind. She was almost as strange as Mori himself, but at least she had more brain cells that were actually working. That put her several notches above him, in his way of thinking.

"No." Kondo replied at last, shaking her head. "I won't just let them kill you." She paused for a moment, resolve hardening her tone. "But I will help them _stop_ you in whatever way is necessary. If that means killing you...I won't like it. I won't ever be happy about it." Her eyes met his, and the strength in them was unmistakeable. "But I will _never_ stop them from doing it."

The effect _that_ had on Mori would have been noticeable if someone had been blind, deaf, dumb, and living on a planet that circled a star on the far side of the solar system. He stumbled back, shock and horror replacing everything else in his eyes. No matter what, Daisuke realized, he had expected both Unimon and Kondo to support him, to at least want to spare his life and to stand by him. With both of them siding with the Chosen, something he'd considered as steady and unchangeable as the sun rising in the east had just fallen out from under him.

Daisuke was fairly certain he was mixing his metaphors, but he didn't care.

"Kondo..."

"No, Mori. This is over with." She glanced towards where Daisuke fought against Ken still, then looked back at Mori. "Release him. Let it go. You can find another way. Something else can be done, I'm sure of it."

Cold anger began to replace everything else on Mori's face. "No, I don't think I will." The determination that had filled him earlier returned, in greater quantities than ever. "It will end on _my_ terms or no one's."

"No." The word came from every throat but two in the entire room: Mori's and Daisuke's. It would've come from Daisuke's if he'd been able to speak, and the look he threw his captor was just as eloquent as the way everyone else said it.

Takeru, leaning still between his brother and his partner, shook his head. "Why can't you just realize that you were wrong? You're not the first person in the world to make mistakes, and you won't be the last, either. People have made mistakes bigger than this." He sighed a little, and Daisuke wondered just what this had cost the Child of Hope. Takeru had eased up a little on his firm belief that evil could never change, but when faced with one that didn't seem to want to, there wasn't much he could really do about it. Daisuke didn't want them to kill for his sake, and he had a feeling Takeru would do it.

_But what about for the sake of everyone else?_ He had no idea where the question came from, only that it was there, and he had to answer it, either now or later. For the sake of all of his friends, what would he do? Or what would he _not_ do? Mori was only threatening him, and Ken by extension now.

No, that wasn't right. He was threatening _Ken_, and using Daisuke as his weapon to do it. His own determination turned to diamond. Whatever it was he had to do in order to keep his friends safe, he would do. Sometimes you just _had_ to kill, whether you liked it or not.

He remembered something Iori had told him. It had rung in his head over and over because it _was_ the young boy who had told him. It was a decision that Iori had come to after his own agonizing wrangle with what it might mean to be a Chosen.

_We can't always do what makes us happy, as much as we might all want to say it, think it, believe it, and live it. Sometimes we're going to have to do something that makes us **un** happy: because it's what we **have** to do._

Iori was growing up, or had grown up, to be a really smart guy. Daisuke looked back over at Mori, Unimon, Pidmon, and Kondo. They'd destroyed his life and almost his existence. Kondo had helped only out of friendship and probably hoping she could get Mori to give up the revenge once he'd had a taste of it. Unimon had only done what any Digimon partner would, as had Pidmon. But Mori himself was so eaten up with hatred and vengeance there wasn't anything left of him. What did this mean for all of them? For the others who had been touched by BelialVamdemon and the darkness?

_There will always be failures._ The knowledge came from inside himself, from the deep part that had once whispered to reach out the hand of friendship to Ken, to keep faith in himself and in the others when they were going against the ultimate darkness. _But there will always be successes, too._ The key would simply be in finding out which was which, and working to make it all work out somehow.

Daisuke twisted and twitched some more, his outer body not recognizing the things that his inner mind had. That stupid, stupid, stupid, _stupid_ collar again! He had to do something, or Mori would just win by default! And he'd never let that happen, and now didn't seem to be a good time to start.

"Hold him." Ken had thrust him over to Taichi and Jyou before Daisuke's mind quite fully grasped what was going on. Once again the Rocket darted across the floor, and stood before Mori. "Mori, you're sick. You need help that we can't give you. So we're going to have to take you somewhere that can help you."

"If there were such a place, then you would've been locked up in there long ago yourself, Ichijouji." Mori sneered in contempt. "I don't need any kind of help, except to get rid of all of you." He turned, his lips parting, but before a single syllable could escape, Ken quite simply put a hand over his mouth, pinning him against the wall with his other hand.

"Not anymore, Mori. Daisuke belongs to himself, and that's the way it's going to stay." Ken's voice ran with all the intensity of the Digimon Kaiser, and all the compassion of the Child of Kindness. The combination was beyond intoxicating for Daisuke. They were going to have to get _seriously_ reacquainted once this was all over and done with.

Unimon tapped one hoof firmly on the ground. "There is a way to be certain of that. Remove the collar."

"We figured that one out a while back." Taichi reminded the Digimon. "The problem is, we don't know how. That thing doesn't have any way to take it off."

"If it can't be unfastened, then the way is to destroy it." Unimon said simply. "Break it into pieces, and there will be nothing more that Mori can do."

"Could he make another and make this start all over again?" Hikari wondered, worried eyes flicking all around the room. "Is that going to stop him for good?"

"It'll stop him from controlling Daisuke for good. I've got something else in mind to stop him from doing this to anyone else as long as he lives." Ken said, softly and firmly. "How can we destroy that thing, Unimon? What's it made of?"

"Digital silver. It's not as hard as Digital chroma-zoid, but it worked for what Mori wanted it to do." Unimon pawed a little nervously, swishing his tail as he glanced over his shoulder towards Mori. "The risk is because of how tightly it's around his neck. Unless it's done just right, destroying the collar could kill him."

Yamato's fists clenched firmly. "We don't have a choice. Not doing it is worse than doing it."

"He's right." Miyako shivered as she looked quickly at Daisuke. The others chimed in their agreement, no one looking fully comfortable with this. Daisuke knew they couldn't ask his opinion, since there was no way he could give the one he really wanted to. But he trusted them all to know what he wanted. It would be better to _be_ dead than to keep on having to do what someone else said, no matter what.

Unimon nodded a little, then stepped towards Daisuke. "There really isn't a weak point. He made it very well. Hitting it anywhere will do, if you have just the right amount of force behind it. I could do it."

"No." Wormmon raised himself up on his last few legs, attempting to look fiercer than usual. "Daisuke is my friend, and Ken has been through too much trying to find him for me _not_ to do this."

Daisuke wanted to smile and hug Wormmon more than he ever did. There was just something about the adorable bug that made him so sweet even in the darkest of times. _My knight in shining carapace?_ He mentally snickered and decided to try and do something very nice for Wormmon in the very near future, if this worked out perfectly. He had a long list of people he needed to repay in some fashion now.

"All right." Ken shifted a bit, and his place pinning Mori was taken by Yamato and Garurumon, both of whom looked more than ready to turn the maniac into Digimon chow at the earliest opportunity. Ken pulled out his dark D-3 and looked down at his partner. "Ready?"

"Ready." Wormmon braced himself, and was enveloped moments later in the light of evolution. "Wormmon evolve to..._Stingmon_!"

As the light faded, the gleaming insectoid warrior stood there, posing slightly as he felt all the eyes on him. Taichi and Angemon both got a better grip on Daisuke, making certain he couldn't move very much. Koushirou put his laptop to the side, and joined Iori as he assisted in keeping Daisuke restrained.

"I trust you, Stingmon," V-mon whispered, pattering over as Agumon managed to finally work through the lock on the cage keeping him restrained. "Bring him back to us."

Stingmon nodded slightly, raising one arm as it began to glow softly. His wings fluttered and he lifted into the air, rising higher and higher and buzzing about more and more as he built up momentum. Daisuke watched, his limbs twitching just a bit as they still fought to obey the command put into them.

Then he darted forward, and the echoing call of _Spiking Strike_ sounded, and he struck the collar dead on. Daisuke fell back from the impact, falling through the grip of the four trying to support him, and crashed to the ground, and everything around him went absolutely black.


	15. The Welcome Home

_**Legal Disclaimer:** All characters within are the legal property of Toei Entertainment, or were inspired by such. This is done only for amusement.  
**Series Title:** Fade In, Fade Out  
**Chapter Title:** The Welcome Home  
**Romance:** Ken/Daisuke  
**Rated:** T_

He was wrapped in warmth, and blankets. He noticed the warmth first, then the blankets, and then the fact someone was holding his hand. That alone made a difference in the way he woke up this time compared to all the other times before this.

He didn't move, though. He wanted to know what was going on first. All of his instincts said that was what to do right now, and he'd made a career out of listening to them. Why stop now?

Unfortunately, there didn't quite seem to be a way for him to find out what was going on. No one seemed to be talking, not anywhere that he could hear them at least. Whoever was holding his hand just kept on holding it. Their own hand was warm, and it felt very nice to be being touched like this.

Something began to flicker through the back of his mind, something about being touched. It hadn't always been nice. No, that wasn't it. It had been _too_ nice. That had been what was wrong about what had happened. Part of what was wrong, at any rate.

A soft sigh slipped out of him before he could stop it, and whoever was holding his hand tightened their grip a little. "Daisuke?" The voice was warm and familiar, and his heart leapt when he heard it. He struggled to open his eyes, wanting to see if his memory had matched up to the voice properly.

Opening his eyes took more than a little bit of effort, but he wasn't going to give up. The voice, the way the hand felt in his, the pattern of the breathing near him, a small bundle of warmth that he noticed about halfway down his body, another one at the foot of the bed he seemed to find himself in...all of those were beginning to stir more and more memories in him. He couldn't put them in any kind of logical order, but he just _knew_ what they meant, and he wanted to feel more of it, the sooner the better.

What they meant was that he was home, and safe. And loved. At last.

He cracked his eyes open at last, and the first thing he saw was almost enough to make him want to slam them shut again. "Curtains..." he groaned out, tightening his own grip on the hand in his. "Close...the curtains..."

Whoever was with him didn't move, but the punishing light went down to a more tolerable level. He took a few quiet breaths and tried to get his mind to work on a more intelligent level. This wasn't something he'd tried very often, but there was a first time for everything. Ken had taught him that. Or he'd taught Ken. It didn't matter; the point was, it was true.

"Daisuke..." the voice from before, _Ken's_ voice, whispered his name again. He said nothing else, threads of fear wrapping all through that single word.

He took another breath. He was going to do this. "Ken..." There, he'd done it. It was a beginning.

Daisuke slowly lifted his head to look at Ken. Images of the young Kaiser who had been in his dreams stood side by side with other memories, memories forged from years of being friends and more. He could remember when Ken had suffered a rash of pimples when he was thirteen, and then they'd been racing one another in a growth spurt. He dropped his gaze just a little to notice a long scar on the hand that was still holding his, and reached over with his other hand to trace it a little.

"You got this...from a knife...someone tried to attack you once..." Daisuke remembered, bright blood splashing in his mind, and the memory of a coppery scent filling his nose. "It's been a long time, though."

Ken nodded a little. "We were fifteen. Someone didn't believe I'd...really changed." He tightened his hold a little on Daisuke's hand. "You remember, don't you?"

"I remember..." Daisuke smiled, and raised his hand to touch Ken's chin a little, staring into those eyes. Faint flickers of seeing them full of cold hatred and rage, the mockery that Mori had made of their past, went through his mind, and he pushed it away. He didn't remember everything, yet, but he knew this: this was where he wanted to be.

He leaned forward a little and brushed his lips across Ken's. It was soft at first, almost hesitant. Ken's response was just the same, as if neither of them really knew what to do at the moment. Then Daisuke _did_ know. He pulled himself closer to Ken, wrapped his arms around him as carefully and as strongly as he could, and got to work catching up on two weeks' or more worth of missed kissing.

A slightly embarrassed cough from somewhere else in the room reminded Daisuke that as much as he might _want_ to be, he wasn't alone with Ken right now. He rubbed at his eyes some and winced at the grit and dried sleep that he encountered. "Anyone got some water?"

"I'll get it," someone said, who seemed to be a little closer to the door than Ken or whoever it was that had closed the curtains. Daisuke nodded a little, not moving away from Ken at all. He'd spent just a little too long away from him in the first place. If he could, he was going to find a way to get them glued together for a few years.

He shivered down to his core as Ken's gentle fingers touched his chin lightly, caressing across his cheeks before dropping down to take his hand in both of Ken's. "I've missed you," Ken whispered, his heart in his voice. Daisuke decided the only way to answer that was to kiss again him. Talking would just be too much, at least talking about _that_.

"So...what did I miss?" It took a while before he actually had his lips free for talking. By then, a small bowl of water and a washcloth had been placed by Ken, and the blue-haired man was busily wiping at Daisuke's eyes to get them cleaned up. "And how long was I out of it? And who else is in here?" He stopped briefly. "I think that should cover most of it, so..."

Ken chuckled briefly, wiping at his own eyes for a moment. Daisuke preferred to think that it was because something had gotten in them to anything else, and Ken said nothing to the contrary. "You've been unconscious for about three days. Jyou and Koushirou examined you and those notes that Mori had in his base very thoroughly, so we've been expecting you to wake up sometime today."

Daisuke nodded a little, flashing back to seeing a disk being crushed in Mori's hand. "So what about my memories? That disk..." He knew he was asking extra questions, but he didn't care.

"They should all come back, in time," Ken reported, dabbing at Daisuke's eyes again so very gently. "That disk he destroyed was nothing but a fake, something to try and distract us and make us give up. Koushirou and Miyako are working on something that should speed up the return, some kind of alternate version of that drug he pumped into you. Koushirou's absolutely ecstatic at having the chance to learn how to reverse the Mushrooms of Forgetfulness."

"Not surprised. That sounds like him." Daisuke tugged away the cloth from Ken's hand and inched a little closer to him. "You haven't answered everything yet, though."

"Well, you can answer at least one question you had for yourself right now, I think," Ken told him and motioned over to the curtains. Daisuke glanced that way, and couldn't be that surprised to see Kondo Amaya and Pidmon there.

"Oh. Um. Hi?" He tried to figure out just how to say something to them. A dozen different memories of them both flickered through his mind, with just as many different reactions. He settled on the one that he was the most comfortable with. "You guys doing all right?"

Kondo shrugged just a little. "We'll be all right." She looked at Pidmon, then both of them headed towards the door. "We'll be going now, since he's awake. Thank you very much." She nodded lightly towards Ken as they passed him.

"Having some company was nice," Ken replied, nodding back towards them. "Thanks, both of you." At Daisuke's questioning noise, he explained, "We've all taken shifts to stay with you while you were out of it. Always in pairs. She insisted on helping out. We talked a lot." He hesitated for a moment, then went on. "There were things we had in common, after all."

"Yeah, what with being unwitting pawns of people too stupid to figure out going up against me is a bad idea," Daisuke teased. Ken laughed briefly.

"Exactly."

Daisuke stretched a little, enjoying the feeling of being able to do so freely. "I feel a lot better than I did before when I was awake. You know, in Mori's place. I feel like I could actually walk and not fall over."

"I'd be surprised if you didn't feel like that," Koushirou told him from where he stood in the doorway. The redheaded genius had his arms folded over his chest and the most amused gleam to his eyes. "We've been making certain you got all of that serum cleared out of your system and as many nutrients as we could get stuffed into you. The Digimon were very helpful in bringing us fruits and other plant life that would restore your strength in the quickest amount of time."

Ken nodded in agreement. "But you're not going to be able to get out into a game of soccer or anything for at least another week or so."

"Great. Just my luck." Daisuke pouted briefly before something else occurred to him. "What happened to Mori?"

"Nothing's really happened to him, yet," Ken replied. "He and Unimon are being held in a Digital World prison for right now. Once we're certain you can return safely to Earth, we're going to take them there and hand them over to the police. He's already signed a full confession, so there won't be any problems with a conviction."

Iori's voice twined around Koushirou's body, his slightly smaller head peeking around at the same time. "I'd imagine he would most likely receive some jail time and a stiff fine for what he did. He'll be accused of abduction, mental abuse, and attempted murder."

Daisuke nodded a touch. That sounded about right. "I hope he...gets well." That wasn't exactly the best way he could think of to describe what was wrong with Mori, but it would do for now. A few good punches in the jaw would be nice and satisfying, for certain. _Too bad I can't do that. At least not yet._ There was still time. Who knew what might crop up between now and then.

"There's no certainty of that, but we'll make certain what happened, never does again," Ken told him, his hands tightening slightly on Daisuke's. He murmured softly, "I never want to wake up like that again."

"You and me both," Daisuke shivered, thinking of all the times he'd woken up recently to find himself in one strange situation after another. _At least this one is reality._

A faint frown flickered across his face for a moment. _Was_ this reality? Or was this somehow yet another trick of Mori's? _I have to know..._ He barely realized that his fingers were tightening onto Ken's, until the other winced and asked, "Daisuke, could you please let up a little?"

"Oh! Sorry!" Daisuke released Ken quickly, flushing.

"Are you all right?" Ken looked at him a little closely, worry plain in his soft violet eyes. "You're nervous about something." A deeper frown curved his lips downward as he did so, then comprehension dawned. "This _is_ real, Daisuke. You're safe. You're free. He's never going to bother you again, no matter what."

Nothing of what he'd dreamed had ever been like this. Daisuke fidgeted a little, then slowly pulled his hand away from Ken. "I trust you, Ken," he murmured, "but I have to check on something."

None of the three, or their partners, said anything as Daisuke reached up to feel around his neck. He checked first one way, then another, then slowly began to smile, the tension draining out of him.

"Looking for this?" Iori asked, offering a small tray. Daisuke looked over to see a small spread of silver shards. "This was all that was left after Stingmon's attack. Koushirou and Miyako wanted to study it, to be certain no one can ever use it to hurt any of us again."

"And we could use your help, Ken," Koushirou's voice held a tinge of reproof, but the former Kaiser only shook his head.

"No, Koushirou. Daisuke needs me right now. Maybe later, if there's something you two can't figure out without me."

Daisuke let the geniuses talk about whatever it was they wanted to talk about, and continued to feel his neck. _Not_ feeling the collar, seeing the broken shards, and not feeling even the slightest hint of the collar around his neck was fast putting him on the track to 'this really is reality!'.

His stomach chose then to announce the fact that not only was he awake, but _it_ was at well, and he looked to Koushirou and Ken. "Guys, I'm sure that's really fun for you to yak about, but I need something to eat. The sooner, the better. And something to drink. And probably a bath, and some clean clothes." He had barely even noticed what he was wearing, and now glanced down to see.

Then he looked right back up. "Bath and clothes, right after food, whose bright idea was it for me to be sleeping _naked_?"

No one said anything that might've begun to answer him, but the deep blush that crept up Ken's cheeks was all the answer he really needed.

"I'll see what Yamato's got cooking," Iori chuckled briefly. "He's been trying to keep his mind off things, so he's been pretty busy."

Daisuke frowned slightly, searching his mind. "Didn't something...what about Takeru? He was hurt...right?"

"Right," Iori told him, nodding. "He's going to be all right, though. Jyou took him to the hospital and got him patched up. He's probably going to be coming home tomorrow. Yamato stayed with him for the last couple of days; he just got back here earlier."

"Where _is_ here?" Daisuke looked towards the window, trying to get a few of where they were. Tall digital trees graced the area, with a few bushes scattered here and there. "Oh, wait. Digital World?" They'd mentioned some things about that earlier, he recalled.

"Yes," Ken agreed. "We decided not to take you back there until you're somewhat more healed."

"Well, go get that food!" Daisuke waved imperiously the best that he could. This would've more than likely went over better if he'd had more control of his arms. As it was, he squeaked to find himself tilting over more and more. _This isn't good._

What was good was the fact Ken caught him and gently pushed him back onto the bed. "You'd better be careful. You're stronger, but you still have a lot of recovering to do," he chided Daisuke gently as Iori slipped out of the door and out of sight, Koushirou following him.

"I can tell," Daisuke grumbled, getting himself more comfortable. Not that there was anything _un_comfortable about being in Ken's arms, of course. "So just where _are_ we? I mean, other than in the Digital World?"

"We're in a village about three miles from where Mori's base was," Ken told him. "It's inhabited mostly by Motimon and their Child evolutions. A couple of Tentomon, some Gotsumon. Their leader is the only Adult here, a Greymon. This is his place, actually. They've been letting us stay here once we figured out you were in the area."

Daisuke nodded, tugging the pillow behind him into a more comfortable position. "So what else happened? I mean...what _was_ everything going on?"

Ken thought for a few moments, and Daisuke recognized his 'putting everything together coherently' face. As much as it bothered him, he stayed quiet. _Can't interrupt. Want to, but can't._ If he interrupted, Ken might never get around to telling him what he needed to know.

"Virtually everything that you saw was part of a program Mori had written to confuse and disorient you. Since you saw a modified version of himself, covered in a thin shell of what I was once like, combined with the fact you already love me," Ken flushed just at saying that, but didn't stop talking, "he was intending on convincing you that he was me. If his original plan had worked, you probably would've seen him as me for the rest of your life."

Daisuke thought he'd shuddered before. Now he _really_ did, his stomach churning and demanding a revolt on the spot. Ken wasn't done yet, though.

"Anything that happened was meant to be random and varied, to assist in the confusion."

"It was working, too. I couldn't figure out what was going on for the longest time."

Ken nodded. "He was good at what he was doing. I can't even tell if that's natural to him, or if all of his anger and revenge has activated the Dark Spore copy in him." He tapped his fingers a little thoughtfully. "You probably also saw things that scared you." He glanced at Daisuke a little, as if for confirmation.

"You could say that," Daisuke shifted a bit, trying not to think of seeing his friends screeching and fighting each other. "More stuff to confuse me?"

"And to draw upon your fears and nightmares. He was there with us when we defeated BelialVamdemon, as you recall, and he would've noticed that you weren't affected by his spell. We've hypothesized that it's because you simply don't obsess over things." Ken smiled briefly. "Part of your charm."

Daisuke could feel himself turning red. Ken didn't say things like that very often.

"On the other hand, what he did to you had nothing to do with you obsessing or not obsessing. You can fear, just like any one of us."

"Never said I couldn't," Daisuke interrupted briefly and quieted back down at once.

"Right. He couldn't _see_ what your fears were for himself, so he wrote the program so that you were shown them anyway. He _was_ able to watch what you dreamed or visioned on his monitors, since he had you hooked up to a good half dozen machines most of the time. He would modify the program, and the serum, which worked together in a way that we haven't figured out all the details of yet, so things mutated and changed based on what he could see." Ken stopped again, his brow furrowed. "The best way to sum it up, I believe, is that he gave your mind the structure, and let it fill in most of the details on its own, but modified what he could to lead towards his own ends."

Daisuke considered that a few times. "You call that a simple summary?"

"No. I just called it a summary."

"And I'm calling this dinner," another familiar voice spoke up, and Daisuke and Ken both turned towards the door to see Yamato standing there, a tray with several dishes and four plates heaped high with food in his hands. "Nice to see you back, Daisuke."

"Good to _be_ back," the redhead responded, and sat up even more as he started to reach for the tray. Ken tapped his hands lightly and shook his head as he himself stood up to take it. "Are you going to feed me, too?" Tingles of memory of the beginning, or what he had taken for the beginning anyway, when 'Ken' had eaten the sautéed mushrooms and ramen in the fortress while Daisuke had been helpless beside him stirred. Though what was on these plates was entirely different from that dream dinner. This had everything he'd ever imagined could go into a good dinner, and a couple of extras that he vaguely recalled seeing growing on trees during visits to the Digital World. Obviously native delicacies.

Ken just shook his head, amused at his question. "Of course not. You should be strong enough to feed yourself. And don't forget to eat those," he motioned to the two orange-shaped and grape-colored things on the plate. "That's what's been getting you stronger, and you're going to have to eat at least two at every meal until you're completely well. I've already fed you enough while you were out of it, so now it's your turn to do it for yourself." His eyes twinkled briefly, and another kind of memory slid into place, of long nights under the stars, arm in arm, feeding one another grapes.

_We're going to have to do that again, **very** soon,_ Daisuke promised himself. He took the plate Ken held out to him and handed it neatly over to V-mon. The small Digimon's head came up at once, his eyes widening in joy.

"Daisuke! You're awake!" A single heartbeat of a pause. "And it's dinner time!"

_Yeah, I'm really awake this time,_ Daisuke grinned to himself and rubbed the back of V-mon's head. "Yeah. Eat up, V-mon. Good to see you again."

He took the second plate Ken handed over, and soon all four of them were eating. Daisuke cleared off most of what he had before him in a matter of minutes, then stared at the fruits a little nervously.

"They're not going to hurt you, Daisuke," Ken told him. "Go on, try them. I think you'll like them."

Daisuke picked one up and squeezed it a little; it even felt a little like an orange, no matter the coloring. He peeled it carefully, then sniffed. The scent reminded him vaguely of roses, and wasn't exactly the most appetizing aroma he could imagine. Then he took one careful, almost hesitant bite.

He finished the first one off in record time, and was done with the second even quicker. "Are you sure it's only two per meal?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Ken laughed and shook his head. "You can have some more of everything else if you want, though. Yamato brought enough for at least two helpings for everyone." He considered for a moment as he took Daisuke's plate and started to fill it again. "But, you can't stuff yourself too much. I'd rather not have to haul you to the bathroom _that_ often."

Daisuke grinned briefly. "Well, considering how fancily I'm dressed, I'd think you'd be honored!"

There was no dream that could counterfeit just how red Ken turned at that. Daisuke made a note of it. It would be fun to do it again and again, until it was so engrained in his memory that no one could ever take it from him again. He got to work on his second helping, noting that this one didn't have the two fruits with it. Apparently two per meal was exactly that.

Once dinner was officially over with and the dishes taken away, Ken stood up. "I'll go get your bath ready. You and V-mon can get reacquainted there." Before Daisuke could say a word, Ken laid a finger on his lips. "_We_ can get reacquainted fully again when you're feeling up to it."

Funny, it didn't quite feel the same when _he_ turned what had to be that same shade of red, if not a little deeper. But he wouldn't mind if Ken did it to him again, either.

Ken started for the door and Wormmon followed, one tiny claw brushing at his beak to get the last of some sauce from it. Daisuke watched him go for a moment, before saying, "Wormmon, thanks."

The insect Digimon paused for a moment and looked back at him. "For what?" He seemed to smile, the most caring and gentle look on his face. "It was my pleasure, Daisuke. We're all glad to have you back." He continued onward after Ken, and Daisuke leaned back in the pillows, a touch of a smile on his lips.

Yeah. He was home.

V-mon snuggled up into his arms as he relaxed, and Daisuke held him gently. "Anything else going on I should know about?" he wondered.

"I don't know, what did Ken tell you?" V-mon peered up at him through the crook of his arm. Daisuke managed a quick summary of everything they'd talked about, and V-mon cocked his head a little. "Can't think of anything else."

There were still a few things that Daisuke had questions about, such as how Kondo had found them and led them to where he was, but he could wait for those. There were probably other questions he didn't have the answers to yet, and he hadn't thought of them so far. Waiting didn't seem like such a bad idea, though. He knew he'd get them sooner or later.

"Bath's ready," Ken told him. Daisuke started to his feet at once, and the blue-haired man hurried over to help him. "Be careful. Remember what we said."

Daisuke rolled his eyes at once. Their fussing could get on his nerves. He was fine! "I can manage, Ken. I'm tough, you know that." He pulled himself to his feet by way of leaning on Ken and took a careful step. Everything seemed fine, and he took another step, then another. His legs felt just a little bit stronger than water, and he refused to admit that he was quite glad for Ken's strong arm to lean on. _It just feels good to have him here in the first place. The real him._ That train of thought kept him occupied, and not that much interested in noticing any of the other Chosen they passed except as vague shapes that waved and murmured his name until he made it to the bathroom and the steaming tub.

V-mon bounced up beside him once he was settled in, and began to chatter a mile a minute. Daisuke didn't even bother trying to pay attention to just what he was saying. There was no need; V-mon was just being happy that they were together again. Somewhere in the jumble of words, he got the idea that they'd split the search for him between Earth and the Digital World, with the Digital World slowly becoming more of the focus as they'd discovered more and more clues. Mori hadn't been quite as clever or neat in his abduction as he'd thought he'd been. The noses of the Digimon and the bond that tied him and Ken together as Jogress partners had helped them pin down his location more securely.

He carefully cleaned himself, noticing that he didn't quite feel as if he'd been two weeks or more without a proper bath. Mori had probably made certain of that, and it made him scrub even harder to get the feeling off of him.

_I'm going to have a **hell** of a time making up all my classwork,_ he groaned. Just the thought of it was painful, until the thought of studying with Ken intruded on his mind. That made things much more pleasant to contemplate. True, they weren't taking quite the same college courses, but Ken had helped him before. He'd help him now. Assuming that his teachers would accept that he'd been abducted by a maniac and barely remembering anything they'd been doing in class as a viable excuse.

He really hoped that they'd find a way to get his memory fully back by the time he was able to go back to class. Though hadn't there been a report he'd been dreading? He hoped he could get away with artifcially induced amnesia as an excuse...

A prickle down his spine, and the feeling of being watched, sent him looking at the door. Once again, Ken stood there, faintly smiling that little smile that was just so completely adorable. "Are you done yet, or are you not yet finished getting wrinkled?"

"I think I'm done," he said and pushed himself to his feet. He felt a little steadier already. He was going to have to have more of those purple orange things, and soon. They were miracle-workers.

Ken wrapped a robe around him that looked and felt familiar on a level that his memories couldn't have forgotten on a bet. _Ken bought this for me, for my birthday,_ he thought as he caressed it lightly. _I remember..._

"Which way do you want to go?" Ken motioned one way down the hall outside the bathroom once they were out there, the way that led to the bedroom. Then he motioned the other way, and Daisuke saw a wider room, something like a living room, and on the far side of it was an open door through which streamed sunlight and sweet fresh air, with that special tang that only the Digital World had to its breeze.

There was really no decision to be made, once he saw that. Daisuke turned towards the outside, his smile broadening as he saw even more of his friends and their partners, and revelled in the wonderful feeling of finally, ultimately, without a shadow of a doubt, being home.

**The End**

_**Author's Notes:** Yes, this is the end of the story. Daisuke really is home, the dreams are over, and the good guys won. I know there's more than likely room for a sequel, but I haven't decided if I'm going to write one yet. I worked on this for two years, and I want to go on to other stories and finish them. But if a really good idea that I can't turn down comes up, we'll see what happens. Oh, and the punishment mentioned for Mori? I did research that in Japanese law. There really isn't anything set for what he did, but I think what I ultimately decided on would fit for the culture and the crimes. If I ever write that sequel (and I do not say that I will or that I won't), I'll go into more specifics on what it was. _

_Writing this was harder than I'd ever thought it would be. I have problems enough with endings, and writing **this** ending was worse than I could've imagined. Honestly, I hadn't planned for most of this when I began. But I'm glad to have brought it to a close, and I hope you're happy with it. I am going to do my level best to never rewrite this. Happy future reading!_


End file.
